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6 Wednesday, November 21, 2001 Opinion oJ)? iailxj (Tar Mai E stabksM 1893 • 108 Year* of Editorial Freedom • ttahUiheeiiw, Katie Hunter Editor Office Hours Friday 2 p.m. • 1 p.m. Kim Minugh MANAGING EDITOR Sefton Ipock VISUAL COORDINATOR Jermaine Caldwell SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Kate Hartig EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Lizzie Breyer UNIVERSITY EDITOR Kellie Dixon CITY EDITOR Alex Kaplun STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR Rachel Carter STORTS EDITOR James Giza SPORTSATURDAY EDITOR Faith Ray FEATURES EDITOR Russ Lane ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Terri Rupar COPY DESK EDITOR Kara Arndt PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Beth Buchholz DESIGN EDITOR Cobi Edelson GRAPHICS EDITOR Catherine Liao ONLINE EDITOR Josh Myerov OMBUDSMAN Concerns or comments about our coverage? Contact the ombudsman at jmyerov@email.unc.edu or by phone at 918-1311 Readers' Forum Religious Studies Student Points Out Problems With Column Argument TO THE EDITOR: I am writing in response to Josh Baylin’s column “Religious Right in America - Time to Leave.” I agree that any person or group of people who seeks to systematical ly hold down another group of people in the name of religion can and should be compared to the Taliban. But I think that the premises he uses to single out these groups in American culture are flawed. Let me be absolutely clear that I in no way support bombing abortion clinics in the name of “life,” nor do I advocate the sort of backwoods bigotry Baylin seems to equate with all Christians. But I do support honest pursuit of truth. Though I think that the “religious right” has been guilty count less times of that bigotry Baylin notes, it is tragically flawed and equally bigoted to force fundamentalists to leave. It is tossing the baby out with the bath water to say that because one fanatic bombs an abortion clinic that ail pro-lifers are fanatics. To get rid of all the bad things that peo ple have done in the name of Christianity throughout history would be great. Unfortunately, you would also have to Board Editorials The American Red Cross stumbled badly by misleading donors, but it's getting back on track In response to the Sept. 11 attacks, Americans gave what they could, bravely and generously. The American Red Cross assumed the role of charity headquarters as its name recognition and history of service provided Americans with a trusted entity. But recent events have shed light on the Red Cross’ mismanagement of its respon sibilities. It has since undergone changes in management and policy, but public and government scrutiny will not forgive any further disregard for the intentions and wishes of the American people. Charitable donations, once the domain of those with disposable income looking for a tax write-off, flooded the Red Cross from all walks of life. Working-class families and elementary school classes took pride in their gifts, knowing they could never heal the victims or their families but they could spare some money, which might provide some relief. h- The money formed a $543 million Threats Foreign and Domestic Americans have come to view certain foreigners with suspicion —but what about the threat from within? Terrorism has many forms and incarna tions. Al-Qaida is terrorism. The IRA is ter rorism. Anti-government militias are ter rorism. ALF is terrorism. ALF? Yes, ALF is terrorism. This ALF is not the loveable, brown furred, spaceship-fixing, cat eating alien from the planet Melmac that so many grew up watching on NBC. This ALF is one of the largest terrorist organizations in the United States. According to the FBI, the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) is one of the most active domestic terrorist organizations in the country. Since 1976, ALF and its numerous sub groups have claimed responsibility for the firebombings and arsons of hundreds of laboratories, farms, butcher shops, fur stores and fast food restaurants throughout the United States and the around the world. ALF serves as an umbrella organization eliminate 90 percent of the hospitals coun trywide, almost every university (including this one), countless orphanages, soup kitchens, the International Red Cross (founded in part by Henry Dunant - who was quoted late in life as saying “I am a dis ciple of Christ” not exactly a Darwinist), and even the YMCA and YWCA. So yes, let’s get rid of intolerance. Let’s crush an ideology that idealizes a self-righteous Christian subculture (of which I am a part). But let’s not forget that Christians, no mat ter how radical, are still citizens. To force us out in the name of “tolerance” seems a lit tle awkward. Incidentally, the meaning of the word “university” should lend a bit more direction to our pursuit. “Uni,” -one; “versity” - truth. Ben Meredith Senior Religious Studies UNC Hospitals Thanks Sports Clubs for Their Platelets and Plasma TO THE EDITOR: The past two weeks the members of UNC Sport Clubs put their feet up for an hour or two and donated platelets and plas Seeing Red “Liberty Fund” for the injured, displaced and families of those who died in Washington, D.C., New York and aboard the hijacked planes. But questions were soon raised about how the money was bing used. A congressional oversight committee examined why nearly half of the donations to the fund were being diverted into other Red Cross projects and future plans. Meanwhile, the Red Cross’ aggressive campaign for blood donations resulted in record numbers for reserves around the country, but blood banks were forced to dump thousands of pints for which there is no storage room. Philanthropic organizations usually do not need to worry about public relations or image concerns, but the cumulative effect of these events has pierced the altruistic facade of one of America’s most trusted charities. The Red Cross did not earn its reputa tion through fraud, it certainly did not set out to deceive the public at a time when for a large number of radical animal rights groups. The organization’s members believe that society is built around the unnecessary killing of animals and that it is their moral obligation to use all means pos sible to stop the wholesale killing of animals. While ALF claims to be a non-violent organization, a large number of its associated Niel Brooks Editorial Notebook and sponsored groups or cells rely on vio lent means to get their point across. This cannot be tolerated. Earlier this year, an ALF cell went on a bombing campaign and sent numerous let ter bombs to fish and chips shops through out England to protest the fishing industry. One of the bombs exploded in the hands of a six-year-old girl, while another blinded a woman in one eye. Another ALF cell threatened to kill ten scientists if one of its leaders, Barry Home, who was jailed for 18 years because of a ma for the patients of UNC Hospitals. In an effort to avoid a chronic platelet and plasma shortage over the Thanksgiving holiday, over 85 pints were collected from the UNC Sport Clubs Nov. 5-17. This is the third year the Sport Clubs have chosen the UNC Hospitals Platelet and Plasma Donor Program as a service project. This year over 100 appointments were scheduled by the Sport Clubs to donate, which is double the number of appoint ments from last year. Among the major blood products, platelets are the most important for keeping a patient in critical condition alive. These blood cells are used to regulate the blood clotting mechanism and to pre vent patients from hemorrhaging after surg eries or during intensive chemotherapy. But because platelets have a shelf life of no more than five days, the supply must be replaced constantly to avoid shortages. Plasma is primarily used for patients with severe bums and liver failure. These students have affected many lives this Thanksgiving. Only 5 percent of the eligible population donates any blood product, and that num ber is even less for platelet and plasma donors. The need for a reliable supply has never their service is needed most. Interim chief executive Harold Decker, who was appointed to the post after Bernadine Flealy resigned Oct. 26, has pledged to dedicate the entire $543 million to those affected by the Sept. 11 tragedies. Decker’s plan covers a full year of living expenses for the affected families and a coordinated effort, with other charity orga nizations, to cover their needs. The new policies should restore public faith in the Red Cross and charity in general. And in return, the Red Cross can take this oppor tunity to restore pride in its donors. The blood drives rehabilitated the state of the nation’s blood banks, but those resources are being used faster than the money. Although some of the blood col lected after Sept. 11 has gone to waste, the general need for blood renews itself peri odically. Americans should not hesitate to give in the future because of clerical mistakes of the past. firebombing campaign, died in a hunger strike. Home died Nov. 5. As of yet, no sci entists have been killed, but many worry about the possibility of a backlash. After Sept. 11, many people thought ALF would tone-down its actions, but that has not been the case. Since the attack on America, ALF has taken credit for six acts of domestic terrorism including the bomb ing of a federal corral for wild horses and a fire at a primate research center. If anything, ALF has used Sept. 11 as a tool in their battle. With federal agents focusing their attention on a foreign men ace, ALF has taken the opportunity to oper ate more freely. Even though the nation’s resources are taxed, the country cannot allow this. Americans do not tolerate terrorism of any form, foreign or domestic. As the nation faces this trying time in our nation’s history, citizens must remember that the enemy is not always an ocean away. been more acute as hospital usage increas es. The Sport Clubs members who partici pated are not only juggling schoolwork but also part-time jobs and sport schedules. Still, they found the time to commit them selves to donating. They have truly given thanks this Thanksgiving, and we encourage others to do the same! Laura Shook-Marino Donor Recruiter UNC Hospitals Platelet & Plasma Donor Program Harry Potter Movie Robs Readers of Imagination, Spoils the Book’s Magic TO THE EDITOR: Last Friday, Harry Potter changed for people all over the world, forever. Last Friday was the death of the magical, imag inary realm of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Quidditch, Hogwarts, Muggles, Dumbledore and The One Who Shall Not Be Named. For those of you that went to see the Harry Potter movie, the magic was taken out of your mind’s eye and replaced with The Buck Stops Here Why Life Is So Deer It was a day that changed the face of our area and altered the perceptions of those who live here. It was a day that made us re-evaluate everything we knew - or thought we knew. I’m talking about Oct. 9,2001- a magnet to the hard drive of our complacency. And probably most of us heard nothing about it. " Here’s what happened: At about 1 p.m., an 8-point buck walked from Kenan Street, down Franklin Street and then choose to bypass the open door and leap through the plate glass store front of Paint the Earth, a make-your-own pottery place located on West Franklin Street. Apparently it burst through the window with a sound “like a bomb,” said owner Barry Slobin. The deer shook off the broken glass and then trotted out the back door of the store, maneuvering through a maze of frag- ile pottery without breaking even one, then headed towards Breadmen’s Restaurant on Rosemary Street. I’ll quote Dave Barry in saying “I am not making this up.” There are still so many unanswered questions. For example, why would an animal with no (I assume) table manners or opposable thumbs have a burning desire to make his own high-gloss cereal bowl? I can just see it: “For the love of God! I simply must hand-paint a bud vase right now!" Who gets that passionate about personalized, dishwasher-safe gifts, as nice as they are? I always thought that sentiment was reserved for die hard Martha Stewart and Christopher Lowell fans. I think the situation is incredible. Why didn’t we hear about it? Seems like there should have been a screaming headline in the DTH, but nary a word was written. That beast was raising hell, Bambi-style. How can the redistrict ing debate continually snag a spot on our front page when there is rampaging wildlife to be covered? There’s only one thing I know to do in a situation like this. Make it into a metaphor about life. Like the forest deer boldly strutting through our urban center, we too should venture out of our comfort zones. We need to smash through the plate-glass windows of our limi tations, trot past our store of troubles, exit out the back door of our regrets and head toward the Breadmen’s of expanded horizons. We can learn a lot from going out of our usual environment. Slobin, the owner of Paint the Earth, said the deer “was n’t angry but a little confused and afraid.” He continued to say that he could tell “it wasn’t going to hurt (him).” The deer, obviously out of its environment and untrained in ceramic painting, chose to take the calm, moral high ground by adjusting to the new situation and acting intelli gently and nonviolently. He took a giant leap of faith (liter ally and figuratively) and was left perturbed but unhurt -a better mammal for it. Slobin, amazingly enough, did not even close his store and had anew window within three hours. The deer and the owner were placed in a decidedly surreal situations, and both rose to the occasion. The deer found his own way out without causing extensive damage, and Slobin used some “creative retailing” to keep the event from becoming a problem - decorating his window with a sign proclaim ing “The Buck Stops Here.” See, we can leam from this. His thoughts on the meeting of man and beast? “It’s just a culture clash,” Slobin said. He described how he did not corral the deer or influ ence it to leaving out the front door but respected its needs and allowed it to exit out the back. It’s a perfect example of diverse groups getting along with ease. We’ve established that leaving one’s comfort zone is a fast-track way to personal betterment What can we do here at UNC? Our chancellor runs like a panicked deer from student input in major decisions (Did I just say that?) - per haps he could step out of his comfort zone a bit. And so could the rest of us. What did the deer leam from its ordeal? I assume it got a first-hand tour of our urban jungle, broke through the glass ceiling (wall anyway) and realized that to respect oth ers was the only way to go. I’d say in the great smorgasbord buffet of life, the Franklin Street buck had a heaping helping of wisdom paella and pan-fried enlightenment. I’ll be having the venison. Erin Fornoff is frozen in front of some car headlights. Reach her at fornoff@email.unc.edu. what flashed on that flat screen. Where there used to be a million different Harry Potters now there is only one. Do you think that kids not yet old enough to read will read the story of Harry Potter or see the movie? I am not a maniacal radical yelling kill your television and rock ’n’ roll is the devil’s music. I like movies. I love AC/DC. Nor am I saying that the Potter movie will be bad. There is certainly a wonderful story behind it. It is, however, destroying the world that you created. There is no going back. Volume five of the series, if it is released, will be the story of the characters that you see in the movie. Your imagination has been robbed. The beauty of the story and most any story is in the individual creation of the characters, scenes and events. It is what makes writers into authors and readers into artists. I know what Harry Potter looks like. J.K. Rowling wrote his story, and I created him. P.S. If you think it is OK because J.K. Rowling had a hand in the casting, you just missed the point. Michael Smith Class of 2001 (LJje Saily ®ar Hppl . i ERIN FORNOFF SWEETNESS AND LIGHT 0 A The Daily Tar Heel wel comes reader comments and criticism. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 300 words and must be typed, dou ble-spaced, dated and signed by no more than two people. Students should include their year, major and phone num ber. Faculty and staff should include their title, department and phone number. The DTH reserves the right to edit letters for space, clarity and vul garity, Publication is not guaranteed. Bring letters to the DTH office at Suite 104, Carolina Union, mail them to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel HHI, NC 27515 or e-mail forum to: editdesk@tmc.edu.
