10
Tuesday, February 22, 2(XX)
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comments about
our eovetajje?
Contact the
ombudsman at
budmartstuic.edu
or call 605-2790.
Scott Hicks
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
Katie Abel
UNIVERSITY EDITOR
Jacob McConnico
cm EDITOR
Board Editorials
Breath of Fresh Air
.Although Brad Matthews is also a qualified candidate,
Erica Smiley promises to bring much-needed change to the office,
Simply put, student government has got
ten stale.
Every year, candidates who seem as if they
have been groomed since birth for the office
of student body president invade the Pit,
promising that they will
get rid of student govern
ment’s elitist image and
find a way to reach out to
the average student.
That is a noble goal,
and one to which the
candidates are surely
committed, but it will
take someone who hasn’t
lived in Suite C for sev
eral years to get it done.
This year, there are two qualified candi
dates going head-to-head in a runoff election,
but only one of those people has the per
spective needed to shake things up.
That candidate is Erica Smiley.
Although opponent Brad Matthews’ expe
rience working in the executive branch
would surely help him be an effective student
body president, his extensive involvement
Trapped
Members of Young Life should not be allowed to visit high school
students during lunch. Their visits are nothing but recruiting trips.
Members of Young Life should be
required to stop their lunchtime visits to East
Chapel Hill High School.
These visits, which are really thinly veiled
recruiting trips, are justified by members as
opportunities to interact with students and
develop mentoring roles.
Taking time to make a difference in a
young person’s life is fine, but Young Life’s
tactics are not.
Because of security issues, most high
schools restrict students’ movement around
school grounds, including during lunch.
Young Life representatives essentially trap
students who can’t get away into having con
versations with them.
The final goal of these conversations, of
course, is to recruit students to join the group.
According to The News & Observer,
“John McCormick, the (school) district’s
attorney, said students who sign in a visitor
can talk about Young Life, religion or any
thing else with their guest, as long as the dis
cussions don’t take on the quality of organiz
ing or proselytizing.”
But proselytizing, inducing someone to
convert to your own religious faith, is the
core of Young Life. According to the group’s
Web site, Young Life’s mission is “introduc
ing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping
them grow in their faith.”
This clearly violates the ECHHS policy.
At Times, Making News is ‘Good Old-Fashioned Journalism’
When editors of this paper
decided to run a five-word,
full-page editorial before the
Duke basketball game, it caused a stir
both within and outside the newsroom.
A senior writer at this paper asked a
thought-provoking question. Were edi
tors making news at the expense of
reporting news?
There can be no doubt that the
back-page spread of “Students Yell
Louder Than Money,” written to advo
cate better student seating at basketball
games, made news.
Students waved the paper at the
Duke game. A Raleigh television sta
tion interviewed the paper’s editor,
Rob Nelson, as he handed out the edi
tion outside the Dean Dome.
Was it wrong to break with an edito
rial page tradition of local columns, let
ters and opinion for what amounted to
a five-word poster? Absolutely not.
Brevity is effective.
Sometimes the work of a newspaper
staff does make news, which is a far cry
from a belief that it is wrong to create
news. Editorializing that gives readers
pause for reflection or a banner to
wave rallying support for a cause is just
good journalism.
A couple of other incidents this
semester illustrate well the make vs.
Rob Nelson
EDITOR
Office Hours Friday 3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
very well also could hold him back.
It is extremely difficult to change a system
one has been a part of for so long.
In contrast, Smiley will be able to evaluate
the executive branch as an outsider. That
perspective will help her better to determine
how to make it more effective.
And her experience outside the walls of
Suite C will help her accomplish that often
repeated objective.
Smiley has built a reputation for being one
of UNC’s leading activists. She can use the
contacts she has made fighting the tuition
increase as a member of the Campaign for
Educational Access or calling for the lifting of
U.S. sanctions against Iraq as a member of
Student Congress to build a Cabinet with the
vision and the know-how to change things.
And as long as she follows through on her
promise to give every student a chance to be
part of the executive branch, that group will
also truly represent UNC students.
Both Matthews and Smiley have the
potential to be good student body presidents,
but Smiley promises to do more than just
stay the course and check off platform goals.
Erica Smiley
Some parents claim that stereotypes of
Young Life members as popular has pres
sured students to join the group. High school
students are especially vulnerable to peer
pressure, and Young Life exploits students as
they go through adolescent uncertainty.
Young Life has tried to camouflage its reli
gious tones. In a flier advertising a Young
Life party, no mention was made of the
group’s religious goals. Young Life members
from UNC continue to claim the purpose of
the visits is to mentor.
But if these UNC students from Young
Life care so deeply about making an impact,
they should join a tutoring program or help
coach a learn.
While religious groups do have legal
access to schools, their visits should be
restricted to before or after school.
At UNC, many campus religious groups
exist; they are student-led and student-sup
ported. College students are less likely to fol
low the crowd because “it’s cool.”
And if UNC students don’t want to listen
to representatives from Inter Varsity
Christian Fellowship, Campus Crusade for
Christ or Waymaker Christian Fellowship
preach to them on the quad, they can stand
up and leave.
ECHHS students don’t have that choice,
but the school shouldn’t put them in that sit
uation in the first place.
■
TERRY WIMMER
OMBUDSMAN
create debate. The Brian Bersticker
write-in campaign for student body
president initiated by columnist Brian
Frederick made news. That’s what a
well-written column can do.
One issue, however, that treads too
closely to the creation line has become
known as the Full Nelson Affair.
Some background: When Carrboro
Mayor Mike Nelson was running for
re-election last fall, an off-the-cuff
remark offended DTH Editor Rob
Nelson.
The paper had asked the mayor and
all candidates for local office to com
plete surveys that would be used to
educate DTH readers about the candi
dates and their views. Mayor Nelson’s
response was flippant, at best.
He said his most admired political
figure was Che Guevara, a South
ah' iatlg aar thd
Established 1893 • 106 Years of Editorial Freedom
www.unc.edu/dth
Matthew B. Dees
STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR
T. Nolan Hayes
SKIRTS EDITOR
Leigh Davis
FEATURES EDITOR
American revolutionary. His favorite
book: Dr. Seuss’ “Horton Hears a
Who.”
When a Chapel Hill Herald reporter
asked the mayor about his answers to
the DTH, he was quoted as saying,
“They can ask some silly questions
sometimes, but we were just having
some fun with them.”
His seemingly condescending atti
tude irked Editor Nelson. So, he went
to a Carrboro Board of Aldermen
meeting and challenged the mayor,
saying: “I found your sentiments insult
ing, discouraging and entirely unpro
fessional. To insinuate that you take the
paper or its reporters less seriously
than other papers is disturbing to me.”
And to me.
So, I scheduled an office visit with
the mayor to learn how this conflict
escalated into a public rhetorical
shootout. He explained how during last
year’s campaign his time was limited.
He received a packet from the DTH
about two weeks before the election
and then set it aside.
In the meantime, he had opportuni
ty to fill out requests from The News &
Observer and other newspapers seek
ing election-related information, but
the DTH request did not receive the
same priority.
Opinions
Robin Clemow
ARTS Is ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Carolyn Haynes
COPY DESK EDITOR
Miller Pearsall
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
— —— - - H
J| £ ' sin
Change at Heart of Today’s Vote
I used to hate student elections.
Every February, a bunch of young
wannabe politicos would descend on cam
pus, talking their talk and trying desperately
to convince themselves that “Joe Average”
student actually gave a damn.
They would hang cheesy posters featuring
their best fake grins and spout off about an
array of lofty and, most likely, empty cam
paign promises.
This carnival of self-importance would cul
minate on some Tuesday when less than It)
percent of campus would actually show up to
cast a ballot - the student body’s annual
shrugging of their apathetic shoulders.
I expected much of the same this year, but
somehow' things have not quite shaped up
that way.
Today, a few thousand students will head
back to the polls and cast a vote for either
Brad Matthews or Erica Smiley as the next
student body president.
And it’s anything but politics as usual.
The race pits a bonified student govern
ment veteran against a self described outsider
known more for her “radical” stances than
ability to climb the ranks. It’s the most intrigu
ing race this campus has seen in years.
Yet even with the spice of political polarity
thrown into this election season, something
disturbing lurks behind the scenes.
As Smiley has emerged as a serious con
tender in the race - gaining important
endorsements and winning the support of
many contenders she beat out in last week’s
general election -a strong resistance has
evolved as well.
People have become quick to dismiss
Smiley for her eccentricity and for her liberal
political beliefs. In some circles on campus,
she is considered a joke candidate whose only
support comes from her “wacky” progressive
followers.
Well-established student leaders and
When he did turn to address the
issue, only days before the deadline, he
discovered three separate surveys
inside. Realizing he had no time to
complete three surveys, he called the
DTH.
He spoke with whomever answered
the phone in the newsroom, and
explained his predicament. He said he
answered some questions by phone.
All, he believed, was well. It wasn’t.
The DTH did not endorse him, and
in his words labeled him “just another
arrogant politician. It wasn’t accurate.
It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t the truth.”
In hindsight, he wishes he had
opened the DTH mail sooner. We
debated whether by setting it aside and
addressing other requests first, he gave
the DTH unequal treatment.
He believes he did not. I believe he
sees the DTH and its staff as half-baked
journalists and deserving of only half
baked attention. We agreed to disagree.
He had some valid points. Why this
paper did not coordinate the three dif
ferent surveys into one is a good ques
tion. The quick answer is organization.
All too frequently, the right hand has
no idea what the left is doing at the
DTH.
There is a level of professionalism
that is acquired in this business through
Vicky Eckenrode & Cate Doty
MANAGING EDITORS
Thomas Ausman
DESIGN EDITOR
Megan Sharkey
GRAPHICS EDITOR
William Hill
ONLINE EDITOR
"3* f,
■
ROB NELSON
EDITOR
Matthews supporters seem to fear that her off
the-wall appearance and advocacy of issues
beyond the precious walls of UNC invalidate
her campaign and would jeopardize an effec
tive, productive presidency.
But the problem here is not Smiley’s
appearance or her political stances; the issue
at hand is change and whether UNC is ready
to vote for a president who breaks the hell out
of the mold.
There’s a disturbing comfort zone on this
campus when it comes to the student body
presidency.
Candidates are usually white, usually
Greek, usually male and usually soaked in stu
dent government experience.
Smiley brings none of these things to the
table and that, for some, has set off a panic
button.
And, quite frankly, these folks need to get a
clue and a grip.
Smiley has challenged the political status
quo on this campus, and that is something
that should not be dismissed but rather
applauded.
It is narrow-minded and arrogant to
assume that she would be a less effective stu
dent body president because her tactics and
beliefs don’t actually mesh with the almighty
powers that be at this university.
What a wonderful thing for some of the
stodgy “good of boys” who sit on the Board
experience. Mayor Nelson has seen
many a DTH staffer come and go. But
as a public figure living in a university
community I believe he has the duty to
hold this staff to the same professional
standards to which he would hold
other journalists. Antfthc obligation to
afford them the same respect.
He believes he did. But rapping the
paper’s knuckles in print (“It’s hard to
respect The Daily Tar Heel some
times”) is condescending. It made what
happened next even more egregious in
his mind.
Several days after this winter’s huge
snowstorm, Mayor Nelson flew to
Miami and attended a rally supporting
the return of the young Cuban boy to
his father. The DTH editorialized that
he should have been home dealing
with snow-covered streets and other
storm-related emergency issues.
To Mayor Nelson, the editorial was
salt poured into his open wound. In
short, he was furious.
The editorial was petty, but I do not
believe vindictive. It was not written as
revenge for his public DTH dissing. It
was just not well-thought-out or sound
ly argued. By the time of his trip,
Carrboro was in no trouble. He’s a city
figurehead, not a street cleaner. His
presence in town would have made no
uHjr Daily (Ear MM
Terry Wimmer
OMBUDSMAN
of Trustees and Board of Governors to have
sit down at a table with Smiley and be forced
to listen to her new perspective.
And be forced to realize that good work
and good ideas can happen on this campus
even when an Abercrombie white boy isn’t
president.
The University is at a critical point in its
history, facing the selection of anew chancel
lor, the filling of key administrative posts and
the onset of technology initiatives and tuition
increases.
With these changes about to sweep through
campus, now seems to be the perfect opportu
nity to let new, fresh hands get the chance to
wrangle with student government and per
haps inject within its ranks anew attitude and
personality.
All things must change, and that rule does
not exclude the distribution of power on this
campus.
If we continue to worry about what a stu
dent body president should be and lose sight of
what he or she could be, nothing will ever
move forward.
During the last few weeks, Smiley has
proven she has the maturity, commitment,
enthusiasm and passion to handle the
demands of the job.
More importantly, she has proved through
out the year that she is as good at shaking
things up as she is at getting things done.
Matthews is a qualified candidate and
would do a fine job as president.
But, eventually “doing fine” becomes bor
ing, and new routes must be taken.
Eventually, people must stop fearing
change and just give it a shot.
Erica Smiley has done that.
Will you?
Rob Nelson is a senior journalism and
political science major from Mt. Laurel, N.J. He
can be reached at rnelson@email.unc.edu.
difference.
A better argument might have been
why he presumed to represent a major
ity view in Carrboro that the boy
should be returned to his father.
Editor Nelson’s reaction to the
mayor’s public statements surprised
me for many reasons. The primary one
is that Rob and his staff have worked
so admirably this year to build better
connection to community. In this
instance, it seemed that work was
being torn apart.
Rob said he felt obligated to defend
the paper in a public forum because
the mayor took his concerns about the
DTH public. I believe it would have
better fit Rob’s community-building
agenda if Rob had called the mayor
and had a face-to-face discussion about
both of their concerns before escalating
the issue into a public showdown.
What it accomplished is that a
wedge seems driven now between
Mayor Nelson and this newspaper.
News was created by both Nelsons.
And sadly, neither the paper nor its
readers are better served.
Terry Wimmer is a Ph. D. candidate in
journalism and mass communication and
can be reached at budman@unc.edu or
by phone at 605-2790.