(The iatly (Ear Hrrl
This Year, Fulfill Resolution to Find God
Rationalism or faith: how about both?
We are roughly one month into the
new millennium. New Year’s resolu
tions have been broken. The year 2000 bug
is a distant memory. Writing “00” has
become old hat. The new zeal to change our
lives that came with the new millennium has
been forgotten.
The dawn of the new millennium
brought about a resurfacing of spirituality.
Television and the popular press had
teamed together with spiritual questions.
The “Larry King Live” New Year’s Eve
show' featured the Dalai Lama and Billy
Graham.
We discovered that we were hungry for a
complete religion, an ultimate truth, that
gives both logic and faith true shrift.
Growing up in Orlando, Fla., I found a
very disturbing trend. In my high school,
approximately 70 percent of my classmates
were atheist or agnostic.
They chose this path because they
believe in the very popular ideology that
faith is irrational. The notion of religion is
seen as divisive, based on blind faith, a per
sonal decision and religion against all that is
logical.
During my undergraduate years here, I
found another disturbing trend, another
extreme. 1 found many classmates who were
religious, but because they were bom into it.
Religion was inherited, not chosen.
Also, there was a certain logical rigor
applied to all that is outside religion, yet that
same logic became irrelevant concerning
issues of faith. There was a compartmental
ization of life, where reason stood in one
comer and religion in the other.
Reason comes about through the com-
American Freedom:
Privilege of the Few
■
DANIEL BREZENOFF
POINT OF VIEW
Daily Tar Heel
columnist
Jonathan
Trager is right -
understanding history
is essential if we are to
participate meaning
fully in our social and
political milieu.
Unfortunately, Trager’s
grasp of American his
tory' is shallow at best
and fraught with inac-
curacies.
So perhaps I’d better help him out in his
declared task of exposing you, the eager stu
dent, to profound historical revelation.
Let me begin with two concepts Trager
unexplainably omitted from Tuesday’s first
installation of “the historical tale of
American freedom”: race and sex.
ki one of the most ridiculous statements
ever to appear on the back page of the DTH
(which is notorious for ridiculous state
ments), Trager wrote, “This Age of Freedom
reached its culmination with ... the
Industrial Revolution.”
What typical right-wing bullshit.
Freedom for whom, exactly?
Why, for white men, the folks w ho
framed the Constitution - which, Trager
asserts, gave “individuals” the right to
“make the decisions that affect their ow n
lives, provided they do not infringe upon
the freedom of others."
Unless, of course, these “others” hap
pened to be black or female - groups that
together comprise about 70 percent of the
population. Some historical analysis this is.
At the height of the “Industrial Age,” a
century ago, women could not vote, nor
could they prosecute their husbands for
rape or physical abuse, except of the most
egregious degree.
Black Americans were subject to mob jus
tice, and hundreds of lynchings went unpun
ished in the South every year. No blacks or
women held major political offices. (While
UNC, Duke Students Want Your Blood
' Student Groups From the 2 Schools Face Off for Blood Donations Through Feb. 23
Hey Dock:
Your friends over at Carolina,
knowing that w f e’re going to sweep
you in basketball this year, would like
to offer you the opportunity to redeem
yourselves through the “Rivals Fight
for Life” competition.
~ This competition, which will run
, today through the final Carolina-
University of New Jersey at Durham
(Oops! We meant to say Duke!) game
on March 4, pits our two schools in an
effort to collect the most blood for the
American Red Cross.
Our hope is to put the bad blood
that exists between our two schools to
good use. However, we want to
remind you that you are responsible
for giving blood - you can’t have your
butlers donate for you!
„ In addition, there is a minimum
weight to give blood, so we have to
remind you that all those freshmen on
plex conversion of
chemical signals to
electrical stimuli
between neurons in a
relay system to the
Broadman area of the
brain. This is truly an intricate system.
Reasoning and logic are blessings from
our creator. If this is a gift given to us by our
creator, shouldn’t we use it?
We should use our God-given gift to its
fullest capacity. This means that we are sup
posed to pursue a university education. We
are supposed to apply what we learn. We
must learn to question, research and ana
lyze.
Religion is the notion that we believe all
to be true from the all-knowing divine.
Therefore, for an ultimate truth to exist it
needs to agree with science and logic.
Science, after all, was also created by
God. True religion needs to be strong
enough to withhold scrutiny and prove its
divine worth.
Religion is supposed to be rational and
make sense to both the heart and the mind.
We should question, learn and search for the
truth.
Belief without seeing is faith; belief with-
out understanding is blind faith.
Blind faith is very dangerous! We
shouldn’t believe simply because
our pastor or imam say so, or mom
and dad taught us.
We should believe because both
are heart and our mind say so.
Otherwise, this allows us to fall vic
tim to the same mistake of religious
cult groups of years past, such as
Heaven’s Gate. We need to learn
we’re on the sub
ject, neither did
Catholics or Jews.
Death by child
labor was com
mon in danger
ous coal mines.
And striking
w orkers were reg
ularly suppressed
by force in this
“Age of freedom.” But
that’s another column).
Thanks to feminists and black activists,
things have surely improved for these folks,
but with the head start white men had, it is
tough for others to catch up in a “capitalist”
economy, labor being their only bargaining
chip.
Violence against women still plagues our
society. Being beaten up by a boyfriend or
husband is the No. 1 reason American
women visit emergency rooms, and rape is
the most frequently committed violent
crime. Please let those facts sink in. Crazy,
huh? If you’re not safe, you are not free.
For black folks, struggle and adversity
remain the rule as well, and the U.S.
Supreme Court, which was briefly a bastion
of justice for oppressed classes under Earl
Warren, is making matters worse.
In a 5-4 decision 12 days ago, the High
Court ruled that citizens who run away from
police may be stopped, questioned and
frisked if police make a “determination of
reasonable suspicion based on common
sense judgments and inferences about
human behavior.”
Is this some kind of a joke?
The right-wingers on the court are either
extremely naive or quite cynical. New York
University law' Professor Barry' Friedman,
quoted in The New York Times, said the
decision is a “troubling indication of the
court’s obliviousness to what’s really going
on in the country.” Got that right, Barry.
It would be wonderful if police could
always be counted on to make “common-
your basketball team will be ineligible!
Because we feel certain that
Carolina Blue Heaven will triumph
over the Dook Blue Devils, we are
allowing you to donate blood at
the Red Cross donation site at
Duke South twice weekly as well
as at regular campus blood drives.
It is our sincere hope that
Duke does not “trip up” in this
endeavor, as you have been
known to do before.
But either way, we are ready
to win twice in Cameron Indoor
Stadium this year!
Sincerely,
UNC chapter of Alpha Phi Omega,
Carolina Athletic Association,
UNC Resilience Hall Association
and the executive branch
of UNC student government
NADIA SIDDIQUI
POINT OF VIEW
instance, we don’t see protons, positively
charged particles that make up the nucleus
of an atom.
However, we know that they exist
through observing, researching and
Rutherford’s experiment.
Our faith in protons is substantiated with
logical and scientific evidence.
This same sort of rigor must enter into
our personal lives and our spiritual choices.
This rigor should be applied to the Christian
concept of Trinity, the Muslim concept of
Tawheed or Monotheism, the Hindu con
cept of reincarnation and all major religious
dogmas.
Central, core concepts of a faith need to
make sense; otherwise this hinders our
growth in the faith.
More importantly, though, it is an insult
to our creator on many different levels. This
is because we are saying that the all-know
ing can make mistakes and our religious
dogma is not in sync with science. The other
your salary'x S £\
sense judgments” and be trusted to act
humanely and lawfully.
Unfortunately, as the recent indictments
of four more Los Angeles police officers
demonstrate, reckless, malevolent and dan
gerous men frequently don the noble blue.
For a young black man in a major city,
the sight of approaching cops often invokes
a very valid fear. It’s called survival instinct.
Stick around and one wrong move, or a
black cell phone in your hand (“It sure
looked like a gun...”) could mean death.
Run away, and you might get shot in the
back -but then, you might escape.
Amadou Diallou was fumbling for his
keys in the doorway of his New York City
apartment when he was shot dead by police.
Forty-one shots were fired; Iff hit Diallou.
Yet he had done nothing wrong and was
wanted for no crime.
One of the officers fell down, the others
thought he had been shot - though no shot
had been fired -and the melee began.
Had Diallou run and gotten away he
would be alive. Thus the prudent course of
action for a young black man confronted by
police could be flight.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist admitted
a “risk that officers may stop innocent peo
ple.” Being stopped briefly by police is a
minor inconvenience. But for people of
color such encounters can be deadly.
Justice John Paul Stevens, dissenting,
wrote, “Among some citizens, particularly
minorities... there is... the possibility that
the fleeing person is... innocent, but...
believes that contact with the police can
ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES PHARR a'
Viewpoints
insult is to not use our God-given gift to
think.
Religion needs to make logical sense,
whatever we believe in. There is no such
thing as mystery of faith. Faith should not
be a mystery, and we should not gain some
sense of peace from fudging logic. God does
not hide behind curtains, veiled in a shroud
of mystery.
This does not mean that we should try to
mold an illogical faith into agreeing with sci
ence. We would have as much success in
doing that like trying to jimmy a square peg
into a circle. Rather, we should try to find a
faith that naturally meshes with logic and
science. Why do we think that we have
reached our spiritual destination if we never
even embarked on the search or quest to
begin with?
We cannot make the assumption that all
religions are created equal. Therefore, they
are not equally logical, nor equally illogical.
So renew that New Year’s resolution and
hunger to question and search for the ulti
mate truth - “the truth is out there.”
Nadia Siddiqui is a first-year dental
student from Orlando, Fla. You can reach
her at nsiddiqu@email.unc.edu.
from previous mis
takes from the last
millennium.
Faith is knowing
that something really
exists and is true. For
itself be dangerous.” Wise words, unheeded.
Recently, a federal judge in New' York
ruled that skin color warrants police ques
tioning if a suspect of that color is being
sought for a specific crime.
Gee, sounds like every day in any
American city. If you’re black, it’s open sea
son. Stand still when the constable
approaches, or run and risk being a “sus
pect.” Either way, it’s a roll of the dice with
your life at stake.
Presuming guilt when citizens decide not
to cooperate with police is antithetical to the
spirit of the Bill of Rights. The “Founding
Fathers” envisioned a nation where individ
uals (which at the time meant white men,
but now means everyone ... right?) have
the benefit of doubt. Police must do their
best in that environment. If some crack
smokers escape, it’s a small price to pay for
the freedoms we all treasure.
To paraphrase Ben Franklin: “Those who
would sacrifice freedoms for security
deserve neither.”
But to a guy like Jonathan Trager (who is
strangely receptive to public money when
it’s paying for his education), the only “free
dom” that counts is the unregulated oppor
tunity to collect money, and damn the con
sequences to society or the environment.
Only a privileged white man could see
American history through such rosy glasses.
Daniel Brezenoff is a graduate student in
the School of Social Work from Roslyn, N.Y.
He replies to all e-mail messages. You can
reach him at dbrezeno@email.unc.edu.
Hey Carolina:
We’ve beaten and embarrassed you
in the past, but this time we’re going
for blood. The American Red Cross
. Club of Duke University officially
1) challenges the students of UNC to
an all out battle for life.
On March 4, during the halftime of
the men’s Duke-UNC basketball
game, anew champion will be
announced. The student body who
donates the most blood will be award
ed a trophy from the American Red
Cross. Frankly, we look forward to
winning twice that day. We’re going to
give the gift of life, will you?
Sincerely,
Duke University Red Cross Club
For more information, e-mail Lindsey
Ligett, student government Webmaster,
at lligett@email.unc.edu.
ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES PHARR a'
Monday, January 24, 2000
Bilingualism
Doesn’t ‘Cater’
To Immigrants
COURTNEY GRIFFITHS
POINT OF VIEW
Recently, an editorial notebook written by Sophie
Milam in The Daily Tar Heel (“cNo Habla Ingles?”
Dec. 7) criticized the growing bilingualism in the
United States, including Spanish options on automated
teller machines, stating that “foreigners should know that
when they choose to live in another country, they choose
to adopt part of its culture.”
While I agree that learning English is critical for future
educational and economic success in the United States, I
would disagree with the assumption that providing bilin
gual services is equivalent to “catering to immigrants.”
The majority of non-English speaking Latino immi
grants I know are trying to learn English. This is especially
evident in the high demand for English as a Second
Language classes. In our community, ESL classes currently
are offered every weeknight and on the weekends. Many of
these classes are full and some even have waiting lists.
Too often, I hear people say, “If
they live in our country, they should
speak our language.” It would be
ideal if when someone entered the
United States, they magically
acquired fluency in English. But in
truth, learning a language as an adult
is very difficult. It takes time. And for
many new Spanish-speaking immi
grants in our community, it takes a
second priority to supporting their
families.
As an ESL teacher, I can say that
my students are some of the most
dedicated individuals that I have ever
met. They come to class every week
after working 12- and 13-hour days to
spend two hours struggling to learn
the intricacies of a difficult language
that most of us had the opportunity
to learn when we were children.
Unfortunately, many native
English speakers do not demonstrate
patience or understanding when non
native speakers try to communicate
using their new skills, only increasing
the difficulty of learning English.
Think about your own experi
ences in foreign language classes at
the University. After four semesters
of French or Spanish, how competent
do you feel in your ability to express
yourself in a foreign language? Most
of us had the benefit of books, highly
trained instructors, listening labs and, most importantly,
ample time to study outside of class.
Significantly, the Spanish-speaking parents I know are
strong advocates for their children learning English. They
constantly encourage and praise their children’s ability to
speak English.
The parents recognize the unique opportunity that their
children have to be completely bilingual. Some parents
even insist that the older children help the younger ones
with their English so that they will speak some English
when they start school.
But I think focusing only on the desire of Spanish-speak
ers to learn English misses the point The Latino communi
ty has added many assets to the larger Triangle community.
Organizations such as Casa Multicultural, El Centro
Hispano, El Pueblo Inc. and the nascent Latino credit
union have been founded.
Community events such as !,a Fiesta del Pueblo have
been organized and many have benefited through partici
pation in them. Latino involvement has strengthened many
community institutions such as schools and churches.
Moreover, Latinos have contributed greatly to the econ
omy of North Carolina through participation in the work
force, being consumers, paying taxes and entrepreneur
ship.
Spanish-speaking immigrants are members of our com
munity. And as such, they have as much of a right to partic
ipate in community activities as do English speakers.
Whether the community activity is worship, organized
sports, attending school events or using medical, legal or
banking services, providing bilingual and culturally appro
priate services does not equate with special access, but
equal access.
An individual, regardless of language, should have the
ability to communicate with a doctor if they need medical
care. And parents, regardless of language, should have the
ability to communicate with their children's school.
Even.something as trivial as a Spanish option on ATMs
provides access to a community service. Partially as a result
of distrust of banks, latinos have been the victims of crime
because it has become known that some latinos may cany’
large sums of money.
A bilingual ATM can serve as a first step in building
trust between the Latino population and banks.
While having a large non-English speaking population is
a relatively new phenomenon in North Carolina, it is not a
new phenomenon in the United States. Unfortunately, anti
immigrant sentiment and concern about immigrants not
speaking English are also not new' phenomena.
The population of the United States largely has been
formed by waves of both forced and voluntary immigra
tion from around the world. From our history, we should
learn that, in time, immigrants do learn English.
And most importantly, we should recognize that while
they might be initially seen as challenges, the new cultures,
languages and perspectives that immigrant populations
bring only serve to strengthen our communities and society
as a whole.
A walk through New York City or San Francisco reveals
that not only bilingual but multilingual communities can
thrive.
In North Carolina, we have the unique opportunity to
learn from the experiences of other bilingual and multilin
gual communities in the United States and thus make our
own transition to a multilingual community’ a smoother
one.
Courtney Griffiths is a graduate student in the
Department of Health Education and Health Behavior from
Chapel Hill. She has taught ESL classes for nine months and
is always looking for new techniques to improve her
classes. Reach her at cgriffit@email.unc.edu.
15