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10 Monday, January 29, 2001 Concerns or comments about out coverage? Contact the ombudsman at ombudsmanieUnc.edu or call 933-4611. Jonathan Chaney EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Kim Minugh UNIVERSITY EDITOR Ginny Sciabbarrasi CITY EDITOR Board Editorials A Hand Up Habitat for Humanity's grant to the Orange County chapter will provide much-needed affordable housing in Efland. Most times, social problems can best be tackled by partnerships between organiza tions within a community. Such is the case with a recent grant given by the N.C. Chamber of Commerce to Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. The $250,000 Community Development Block Grant given will help build 25 homes in Efland in northern Orange County. The homes will be sold to first-time low-income homeowners. Part of the appeal of this partnership is the partner itself: Habitat for Humanity. The nonprofit volunteer organization has done wonders in communities all across the coun try. In Orange County alone, it has helped to build 50 homes for low-income families since its creation in 1987. Habitat for Humanity provides “a hand up, not a handout,” as the organization says. As part of the “down payment” for the home, the families must put in between 300 and 600 hours of their own labor to help build their home. Habitat calls it “sweat equity.” It allows the family to have pride in themselves -and helps them feel more attached to their abode because they build it with their own hands. And homes are desperately in demand in Operation Dong Moeser is not doing enough to correct Nike's injustices. He should make it his responsibility to feed each fired worker. This past week, about 10 enlightened members of Students for Economic Justice, a.k.a. SEJ, (not to be confused with the cam pus groups STD, SURGE, or Serge Zwikker) held a protest against unfair labor practices at a Nike factory in Mexico. Nike, which is the official provider of ath letic apparel to UNC, allegedly fired workers for complaining about poor food - appar ently there is no Cosmic Cantina at the Kukdong International factory in Puebla, Mexico -and low wages. Our own Chancellor James Moeser took a stand, sending a letter to Nike informing the company that UNC is aware of supposed code violations at the factory, while also demanding that the workers’ basic rights be preserved. Though it certainly can’t be classified as a strong stance, most less-progressive people would nonetheless see the letter as a suffi cient response to a serious concern. Thank Jeebus for SEJ. If it weren’t for the few brave souls who weathered the frigid 50-degree conditions to protest in their Carolina apparel, probably all manufactured in the bastion of economic justice that is Southeast Asia, this issue prob ably would have just faded off The Daily Tar Heel radar like a story about ’Bos night at Lenoir Dining Hall. But because SEJ members stood for what Sift laily ®ar Mrel Business and Advertising: Janet Galiagher- Cassel, director/general manager; Chrissy Beck, director of marketing; Melida Heien, classified/customer service manager; Lisa Reichle, business manager; Catherine Wilkins, retail sales manager Marketing Group: Cindy Rice, specialist; Melanie Kolasa, Teng Moua, Scott Rooker, Mike Sutton and David M. Watson, City: Erin Mendell, columnist Katnryn McLamb, senior writer, Phil Bailey, Leah Coie, Charles Daly, Stephanie Furr, Ben Gatling, Aldesha Gore, Isaac Groves, Susan Hall, Theo Helm, James Miller, Lauren Ritter, Jamila Vernon, Geoff Wessel and Amanda Wilson. Copy: Lindsay Apple, Mary Clements, Stacie Greene, Laura Just, Collin Lee, Laura Mayhew, Amanda Walther, Meredith Werner and Katie Young, Design: Denise Barnes, Andrew Pike, Jaime Schumaker and Karen Williams. Editorial: Niel Brooks, Linda Chupkowski. Jon Harris, Kate Hartig, Russ Helms, Jon Hoffman, Ashley Holmes Cameron Mitchell, Amol Naik, Mark Slagle, Doug Satter, Jenny Stepp. Paul Tharp and Wes White. Assistant Editors: Brian Bedsworth, Jeremy Hurtz and Russ Lane, arts 4 entertainment, Kellie Dixon, Stephanie Gunter and Phil Perry, city; Allison Boone and Terri Rupar, copy; Whitney Freeman and Lauren Sumner, design; Erin Mendell, editorial page; Harmony Johnson, features. Lauren Daughtry, graphics; Wendy Epner, online. Brent Clark and Emily Schnure, photography; James Giza, Kelly Lusk, and Matt Terry, sports; Lucas Fenske, Faith Ray and Jennifer Samuels, state 4 national; Dan Thigpen and Karey Wutkowski, university. Visual Consultant: Cate Doty Arts & Entertainment Jason Authors, Meredith Bullard, Adam Farabee, Tiffany Fish, Kit Foss, Sarah Kucharski, Josh Love, Brian Millikin, Joanna Pearson. David Povill, Alison Rost, Karen Whichard, Warren Wilson and Justin Winters. Cartoon: Suzanne Buchanan, the editorials are approved by the majority of the editorial board, which is composed of the editor, editorial page editor, assistant editorial page editor and eight editorial writers the Daily Tar Heel is published by the DTH Publishing Corp.. a non profit North Carolina corporation, Monday-Friday, according to the University calendar. Callers with questions about billing cx display advertising should call 962-1163 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 pm. Classified ads can be reached at 962-0252. Editorial questions should be directed to 962-0245. Matt Dees EDITOR Office Hours Friday 2 p.m. -3 p.m. Orange County. According to data from the U.S. Census, Orange County’s population rose from 93,662 to 111,533 in the last 10 years alone. That’s a jump of more than 17,000 residents. The housing market has not been able to keep up with demand - especially in the area of affordable housing. With so many affluent residents seeking to move into the University area -and the Triangle as a whole - developers can make more of a profit by building higher-end homes than they can with mixed-income subdivisions. But with a poverty rate in North Carolina of about 13 percent and a median household income of more than $30,000, many resi dents are left out in the cold - literally. That’s where organizations like Habitat for Humanity step in. They fill in the gap that the state and fed eral governments cannot fill. And they rely on the support of communities to keep going. Habitat for Humanity is an example of the best kind of “welfare.” As the organization is proud to note, it is not giving a handout. Instead, they are giving hardworking fam ilies an opportunity to live the American dream - owning a home. they believed in, it’s now clear that Moeser’s letter isn’t enough. After minutes of intense deliberation, here is a remarkably simple proposal solving the Kukdong crisis: Operation Dong. For Operation Dong to be a success, it’ll need the support of the biggest dongs on campus: student government. The three remaining members of our esteemed Student Congress will undoubted ly lead the way, as their revolutionary sanc tions against Iraq continue to shake the world economy, and their moratorium on the death penalty has saved countless prisoners from being executed unfairly. After Congress decides to dissolve for good, donating all of its student fees now and in the future to Operation Dong, and the chancellor donates the 23-cent check written to him by SEJ, the funding will be in place to build anew economically justified factory in Chapel Hill. After a Julius Peppers visit to the Immigration and Naturalization Service takes care of the formalities, there’ll simply be a swap of Congress members for factory workers, and Operation Dong will be com plete. No Student Congress, a factory to provide jobs to liberal arts graduates right here in Chapel Hill and ajulius Peppers reference - who said that activism was dead? Professional and Business Staff Carrie Davis, Ben Hartmere, David Huffines and Ashley Ryneska, associates. Customer Service: Molly Blanton, Candace Doby, Lisa Dunn, Holly Herweyer and Courtnee Poole, representatives. Display Advertising: Katie Bawden, Skye Nunnery and Julie Roper, senior account execu- Editorial Staff Features: Jeremy Bradley, Megan Butler, Eleanor Cameron, Nicole Gallagher, Kristina Hodges, Enyonam Kpeglo, Chris Owens, Sarah Parsons, Snanrzad Resvani, Renee Waters, Crista Whitman and Stefanie Wowchuk. Graphics: Caroline Gobble, Kristen Hardy, Tori Newbern, Erica Stevenson, Mary Stowell and Evann Strathern. Online: Megan Garrott, Archana Gowda, Venus Hashemee, Catherine Liao, Meredith Hermance, Andy Leung, Sara Martz, Jonathan Miller and Adam Shupe. Photography: Christina Baur, Valerie Bruchon, Laura Giovanelli, Bess Loewenbaum, Mike Messier, Christine Nguyen and Ariel Shumaker. Sports:! Nolan Hayes,Will Kimmey, Mike Ogle and Bret Strelow, senior writers, Matthew Saha, sports copy. Brad Broders, Joe Disney, Jennifer Entenman, Owen Hassell, Office: Suite 104 Carolina Union Campus Mall Address: CM 5210 loi 49, Carolina Union U.S. Mall Address: P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3257 latlg Mtd Established 1893 • 107 Years of Editorial Freedom www.dailytarheel.com Alex Kaplun STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR Rachel Carter SPORTS EDITOR Jermaine Caldwell FEATURES EDITOR lives; Eleanor Cameron, Nicki Davidson, Locoya Hill, Erica Lundberg and Andrea Sarubbi, account executives Amy Scharf, sales assistant. Advertising Production: Penny Persons, manager; Lauryn Mitchirser, assistant. Classified Production: Sheila Lenahan. Adam Hill, Roland Hoffman, Curt Kendall, Gavin Off and Randy Wellington. State & National: Anne Fawcett, columnist, April Bethea, Monica Chen, Rachel Cottone, Penelope Deese, Ben DeSantis, Sally Francis, Alicia Gaddy, Jennifer Haqin, Timothy Lawson, Michael McKnignt, Allison Mitchener and Rachel Nyden. University: Ashley Stephenson, columnist Robert Albright, Paige Ammons, Sam Atkins, Scott Brittain, Rachel Clarke, Brook Corwin, Ben Davidson, Katy Dillard, Karalyn Eide, Stacey Geyer, Joanna Housiadas, Stephanie Horvath, Jessica Joye, Tyler Maland, Jenny McLendon, Eric Meehan, Blake Rosser and Aisha Thomas. Editorial Production: Stacy Wynn, manager. Printing: Triangle Web. Distribution: Triangle Circulation Services. O ISN #10709436 Opinion Ashley Atkinson .ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Carolyn Haynes COPY DESK EDITOR Sefton Ipock PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Labor Rights Worthy of Your Time Where were all of you last Wednesday at noon? You missed an important event at the Old Well. Several stu dents were trying to spread the word about the human rights abuses in a factory in Mexico -a factory that makes UNC apparel. On Jan. 9, 800 workers walked out of the factory in Mexico where they are employed. This factory, Kukdong, has a contract with Nike and makes sweatshirts for UNC, Indiana University and the universities of Michigan, Oregon and Arizona. Their walk-out was a protest against low wages, rotten food in the cafeterias, failure to pay Christmas bonuses as mandated by Mexican law and the firing of five workers who were trying to form a union in response to these abuses. The workers had simple demands of the Kukdong management: 1) recognize the inde pendent union the workers were forming, 2) disregard the current management-appointed union that was not working for what’s in the workers’ best interests and 3) reinstate illegal ly fired workers. The contract UNC formed with Nike con cerning its code of conduct has clearly been violated. In a “preliminary” statement of find ings, the Worker Rights Consortium, a factory watchdog of which UNC is a part, concluded that there are “strong grounds for concern that Kukdong may stand in violation of provi sions of (University) codes of conduct govern ing child labor, physical and verbal abuse, payment of minimum or living wages, and free association.” In particular, the WRC delegation found compelling evidence, including an admission by Kukdong’s general manager, that workers were hit by plant supervisors using hammers and screwdrivers, and that the factory employed workers under age 16. Not only does Nike have a code of conduct that protects workers’ from abuses like the ones that allegedly occurred at Kukdong, but UNC, though the Worker Rights Consortium, has a contract with Nike to ensure that the workers’ rights are respected when Nike fails to do this. Both pacts are being broken here. Nike has Readers' Forum Cartoonist Takes Low Blow at Greek Community Members TO THE EDITOR: I must voice the particular offense I took to Scott Rooker’s editorial car toon “Frat Boy Action Figures” pub lished in the Jan. 25 paper. Asa member of the Greek com munity, I laugh at the majority of the DTH cartoons that poke fun at the “fratty” style. However, the line between opin ion and defamation must be respect ed. At first glance Rooker’s cartoon appeared just as harmless as any other, until I reached his caption: “Jeep and cocaine sold separately!” I feel Rooker has crossed the aforementioned line! Rooker could have substituted a number of relevant qualities such as “frat flops, bow ties, or Oakleys sold separately.” Instead, he opted for a low blow, thus shifting his theme from humor to malice. Lauren Beal & Kathleen Hunter MANAGING EDITORS Beth Buchholz & Catherine Jamison DESIGN EDITORS Jason Cooper GRAPHICS EDITOR Josh Williams ONLINE EDITOR "A ULJ LINDA CHUPKOWSKI UNFORTUNATELY REVOLUTIONARY a responsibility to clean up the mess in its fac tory, yet is being slow to act. When this hap pens, UNC’s leaders have a responsibility to pressure Nike. Chancellor James Moeser needs to speak out adamandy against this vio lation of contracts, demonstrating that our university will not allow these problems to continue in any aspect as it relates to UNC and its apparel. I know many of you were not there on Wednesday because you don’t necessarily see what the big deal is with unions anyway. Unions are simply a way for workers to band together to petition for change from their management. But CEOs of clothing-making companies do not take them for granted. They recognize that these laws do not exist, or are not enforced in “developing” nations so they move their factories there to benefit from their lax labor codes. That way, they can cut comers to increase their profits. Why do we have such faith in these multi million-dollar corporations whose only goal is to make a profit? If I, a privileged, economi cally stable, American decided to “help out” someone who was homeless by having him or her live in a shack in my back yard and sew all my clothes for less money than he or she could feed his or her family with and made him or her work from sunup to sundown, would no one have a problem with this? Would I be widely supported for “helping” this person? I saw a political cartoon once that described the issue well. It had a skinny per- I dig my “fratty” style, I like my Croakies (by the way, there’s an “a” in Croakie), and I love my Jeep. However, I do not condone the use of cocaine. Rooker failed to consider the strong sense of association and broth erhood upon which the Greek com munity relies. Therefore, his unfounded and gen eralized claim that cocaine is as inte gral a part of the fraternity system as Dave Matthews Band inherendy sug gests that my friends do cocaine! Furthermore, when I pull up to my fraternity’s house in ajeep, what is to stop a passer-by from assuming that since I fit the first two criteria of Rooker’s cartoon, I fit the third? The DTH cartoons targeted at the Greek community are drafted by individuals on the outside, looking in through clouded glass. Any journalist wishing to voice an opinion, whether via cartoon or col umn, bears the responsibility of doing so while remaining within the bounds of slander. Cocaine is not a fraternity staple. Rooker’s cartoon crossed the line Brian Frederick READERS' ADVOCATE Laura Stoehr SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR son hanging onto the edge of a cliff for dear life. A fat man stood safely above in a position to help the skinny person. Was he helping? Sure. He was holding out a glimmering sword labeled “sweatshops” for the struggling person to grab onto. Still, you might wonder, “What do the workers themselves think? If I asked them, wouldn’t they say they were thankful to the Nike and other American corporations for providing jobs?” Just because many workers might say this, it does not mean that what the corporations j are doing is right Sure, the workers are thankful for having jobs, but this is because they have no other options. Our profit-driven corporations have set it up so that working for them is the only available choice. The workers have to take these jobs despite the terrible treatment they receive. Even if the Mexicans simply work harder, as many suggest they need to do, they will never be able to have the standard of living we have here in the United States. The United States is 5 percent of the world’s population and consumes 40 percent of the world’s resources. So, unless we are willing to make some sacrifices, the Third World will never catch up. It’s time we stop blaming the victims and start focusing on the real criminal: unregulat ed corporate America. Nike, take some responsibility for your JA workers and meet their demands. Of course, many of us would rather you moved your fab Tories back to the United States. But start with cleaning up the situation in Kukdong. To Moeser and the Labor Task Force: Increase the pressure on Nike. And to the stu dents: We need your help in sending a mes sage. Make sure you show up next time. You cannot deny that you are affected by a situa-, tion simply by ignoring it. Take responsibility' for your part. Linda Chupkowski is a believer in human rights for all. E-mail her for more information about labor struggle at UNC at linda_chupkowski@unc.edu. from humorous opinion to slanderous accusation, which merits a written apology to our campus Greeks. Scott Morgan Sophomore Business and Music Kappa Alpha Fraternity Do You Want to Blow Off Steam? Then write an op-ed column for The Daily Tar Heel. Op-ed pieces are usually 700 to 800 words long and run on Monday's Viewpoints page. The Viewpoints page offers student groups an excellent way to get their opinion out on an issue or publicize an upcoming event. Students can sound off on any University, state or national news story that sparks their interest Include your name, year, major, hometown and e-mail address. Columns should not be signed by more than two people. Got any questions? Contact Editorial Page Editor Jonathan Chaney at jhchaney@email.unc.edu for more information. Bails - p The Daily Tar Heel wel comes reader comments and criticism. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 300 words and must 1 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 1 space, clarity and vulgarity. Publication is not guaran teed. Bring letters to the n DTH office at Suite 104, Carolina Union, mail them <• to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 or e-mail . v t | forum to: > _ editdesk@unc.edu. ■
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 29, 2001, edition 1
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