8 Thursday, June 21,2001 Jon Harris Editorial Notebook Futile Actions Some Chapel Hill residents needlessly insist on opposing University growth, even with looming opposition from the General Assembly. Residents of Chapel Hill are finally begin ning to realize that the University can grow whenever and wherever it wants to. With all the concerns over rezoning, bond projects and other implications of the Master Plan, Chapel Hill is witnessing a transforma tion of UNC into the WWFs superstar wrestler, the Rock. In addition to laying the smack-down on the Town, the University has also picked up one the Rock’s best catch phrases: “know your role Chapel Hill - know your role and shut your mouth.” Like the Rock, the University will have the right-of-way it deserves, regardless of the unnecessary limitations placed upon it Thus far, the Town has relied on the authority granted to it by the General Assembly to regulate University construc tion. Without this authority, the Town is left with a meager set of tools to stop growth. Lately, this authority has been threatened recently by the General Assembly. The budget “rider” incident should have finally made it clear to residents that oppo sition has absolutely no bearing on what the University wants to do. Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand pro posed the rider to the state budget, which would have allowed the University to over ride any decision made by the Town Council to limit UNC’s growth. Even after the rider’s removal after 11th hour talks between Chancellorjames Moeser and Mayor Rosemary Waldorf, Rand told Orange County Senator Howard Lee that if a growth conflict between Chapel Hill and the University ever arose in the future, he would Jon Harris Editorial Notebook Old Faithful Chapel Hill voters need to give the same support they always give to Jesse Helms in a possible 2002 re-election bid. Chapel Hill is in for some more bad news. As if getting slapped around by the University wasn’t bad enough, Chapel Hill’s favorite North Carolina Senator may not be their United States Senator for the next con gressional term. Sadly, Jesse Helms, our US Senator for four consecutive terms, may choose not to run in the 2002 election. I know it pains the Town’s residents to think of someone else besides Jesse Helms representing them in the US Senate. Even though it’s a tough sell, Chapel Hill voters must be convinced to support a re election bid for ol’ Uncle Jesse. First, some of the anti-progressive stances in his past will require some overlooking. Like the time when he called the Civil Rights Act of 1964 “the most dangerous piece of legislation ever introduced into the Congress.” Ah yes...so the old Dixiecrat party plat form may not be progressive enough for Chapel Hill. The townspeople will also have to forget what he did last week. Helms sponsored a bill to cut federal fund ing to school districts who bar the Boy Scouts from meeting at their schools in order “to combat the organized lesbians and homo sexuals in the country.” Okay, so maybe ol’Jesse’s past doesn’t go too far in winning the votes of the people of Chapel Hill. But on top of all those shady incidents (which are too numerous to list) from the past, the old Cold War berserker has thawed out a little bit. Helms has even become an double-spaced, dated and * signed by no more than two people. Students indude their year, major and phone number; Faculty and staff include their title, depart ment and phone number. The DTH reserves the right to edit letters for space, dar ity and vulgarity. Publication is not guaranteed. Bring let ters to the DTH office at Suite 104, Carolina Union or e-mail forum to: editdesk@unc.edu.