Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Oct. 29, 2002, edition 1 / Page 8
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8 Tuesday, October 29, 2002 Board Editorials —— Early Bird Voting Students should visit the early voting site at the Morehead Planetarium, which is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, before it closes. One-stop voting, first used in the 2000 election, is a worthwhile program aimed at boosting election turnout by allowing voters to cast their ballot up to three weeks before Election Day. But the program, highly popular only three years ago, has fallen on hard times at UNC. Orange County and University officials worked together to create and to fund a site at the Morehead Planetarium that would be accessible for members of the University community. But voter turnout has been surprisingly slow at the site. Elections officials had hoped that roughly 70 percent of the student body would have voted by last Friday, but the total turnout is less than 5 percent Some of the poor turnout can be attributed to what sadly has turned out to be a largely dull cam paign season. The U.S. Senate race between Democrat Erskine Bowles and Republican Elizabeth Dole, which should fire up voters statewide, lacks the passion and excitement of past races. Gone But Not Forgotten UNC alumnus Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., was a tireless advocate for often-ignored groups and a man of conviction whose death leaves a hole in the U.S. Senate. Much has been said in the last few days about the passing of Minnesota’s senior senator, Paul Wellstone. Politicians from both sides of the aisle have lined up to pay tribute to Wellstone, who died in a plane crash Friday while en route to a cam paign stop. Politicians have recognized this UNC alumnus’s conviction in his beliefs. Wellstone’s likability is often mentioned, as is his commitment to standing up for the little guy. His time on the Senate Agriculture Committee is notable for his push on leg islation designed to regulate large agribusinesses. He would joke about how strange it was for a nice Jewish boy to visit Minnesota hog farms. But it is his principled approach to issues that has stood out in the sea of eulogies. Both in 1991 and this year, he was one of a handful of senators to vote against bills authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. Indeed, his insistence on approaching interna A Profitable Day at the Races The Greek organizations that took part in Derby Days worked hard to show UNC's traditional commitment to public service but should expand their efforts. Thanks to the hard work of the Sigma Chi fra ternity, UNC sororities and many other support ers, this year’s Derby Days managed to raise $42,000. The money will be divided proportionately between two worthwhile causes: the N.C. Children’s Miracle Network and the N.C. Children’s Hospital. Derby Days is a weeklong fund-raiser done by every Sigma Chi chapter in the United States and Canada. During the week, Sigma Chi members team with sororities on their respective campuses to raise money for children’s charities. The efforts at UNC highlight the public service ethos so central to campus life and tradition. Additionally, they weaken the tired stereotype that students in Greek organizations only care about drinking, partying and stylish clothes. Sigma Chi did a fine job this year of sparking EDITOR’S NOTE:The above editorials are the opinions of solely The Daily Tar Heel Editorial Board, which were reached after open debate. The board consists of eight board members, the assistant editorial page editor, the editorial page edi tor and the DTH editor. The 2002-03 DTH editor decided not to vote on the board and not to write board editorials. Readers' Forum Columnist Mistakenly Assumes the Gulf War Affected D.C. Shootings TO THE EDITOR: This is in response to Joseph Rauch’s Oct. 28 (column) “D.C. Shooter Is a Disturbed Gulf War Vet, Not a Terrorist.” Mr. Rauch, I am glad to see that some one is willing to tell the media not to jump to conclusions. Perhaps maybe you should include yourself as a recipient of that mes sage. I was surprised to learn that you had not personally interviewed the suspect in custody. After all, how else would you know that this man’s acts were caused by some experience in the Gulf War? But, I guess that is obvious to someone who is a senior in journalism; who really needs advanced degrees in psychology or a license in psychiatry to make competent analysis of a suspect’s motives anyway? Mr. Rauch, you are the worst type of self-serving journalist, as you try to cloak yourself in morality, while doing that which you condemn. Asa veteran lam offended by your insin uations that everyone was affected nega tively by the Gulf War. Obviously you have never served a day in your life, and I am willing to bet you would not serve, mainly because of cowardice. But that is a right that The Daily Tar Heel welcomes reader comments. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 300 words and must 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 space, clarity and vulgarity. Publication is not guaran teed. Bring letters to the DTH office" at Suite 104, Carolina Union, mail them to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 or e-mail forum to: editdesk@unc.edu. Bowles and Dole both largely have overlooked college-aged voters and have spent more time dis cussing prescription drug plans for the elderly than issues directly affecting college-aged voters. Part of the blame for low voter turnout also rests with local officials who have failed to publicize the site adequately apart from putting up a sign outside and sending an e-mail several weeks ago. University officials and student leaders need to launch a last-minute push to get people to vote at the Planetarium before the site closes Saturday and look at ways to boost usage in the future. But the overwhelming majority of the blame naturally rests on the shoulders of students who can’t find enough time to cast their ballot early and then will be too busy to do it on Election Day. If you’ve already made up your mind, then drop by the site this week, cast your ballot and play a hand in shaping the state’s future. Otherwise.be sure to mark Election Day, Nov. 5, on your calendar. tional conflict with diplomacy and understanding was a major theme of his time in office. His efforts on the Foreign Relations Committee focused not on military intervention but on social activism. For years, Wellstone criticized presidents of both parties for insufficient attention to human rights in countries from China to Colombia. Wellstone would follow the Democratic Party line only when it con curred with his own beliefs. Conversely, on issues where he agreed with them, he would join Republicans. For example, Wellstone joined with religious conservatives two years ago to pass legislation that sought to eradicate the international trafficking of women into Paul Wellstone prostitution. Ultimately, what he believed in, he acted upon. What those paying tribute to him should learn from this tragedy is that to eulogize Wellstone best, they should emulate him. His example of action based on intellectual prin ciple rather than partisan ideology is one that we should all be honored to follow. increased participation by teaming up with several UNC sororities that also sponsored their own indi vidual fund-raisers in conjunction with Derby Days. For example, Alpha Chi Omega held a fund raising raffle, and Delta Delta Delta and Zeta Tau Alpha raised more than $2,000 each with a cook out and date auction respectively. Many students and faculty from all aspects of the campus participated in these individual fund-raisers, as well as in many of the other Derby Days events. But Sigma Chi should explore expanding its efforts to reach out to the campus community next year by co-hosting events with groups such as the Residence Hall Association and student govern ment. More visible efforts only will boost the pro gram’s success. When Derby Days rolls around again next year, be sure to come out and give what you can to help sick children in the state. was given to you by veterans and is kept safe by soldiers, sailors, marines and airman. Mr. Rauch, you are nothing but a hypocrite. Robert Williams Undeclared Computer Science University Community Should Vote as Tribute To Wellstone’s Memory TO THE EDITOR: On Friday, UNC lost one of its own with the passing of Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn. Wellstone graduated from UNC with a B.A. in 1965 and with a Ph.D. in 1969. During his years at UNC, Wellstone was an All-ACC wrestler, and it was at UNC that many say he began his career as fighter for all people. There is no doubt that Wellstone was the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate, yet he remained one of the most respected members among his colleagues. A dogged fighter for the issues in which he believed, Wellstone never bowed to the powers of par tisan politics to compromise his positions. Wellstone, however, was more than a pas sionate advocate. He was a genuine person. Two years ago, I was fortunate to briefly meet Sen. Wellstone on the Senate subway. Accustomed to frequently seeing senators Editorial Page Lucas Fenske EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Kelly Lusk SPORTS EDITOR Terri Rupar COPY EDITOR Adam Shupe ONLINE EDITOR If you have any concerns or comments about our coverage, please contact Ombudsman Michael Flynn at mlflynn@email.unc.edu or by phone at 843-5794. I &.WVVA UjOU T*£ I * \ CMR Wavcc... i I wekje c*stto V teat. £**c* e*t*e*. — V Bowles' Campaign Plans Fall Short for Meeting N.C. Needs After reading Thursday’s edition of The Daily Tar Heel, I was sur prised to learn just how much U.S. Senate candidate Erskine Bowles has in common with the average UNC student. Apparently Erskine is the only candidate who will help our grandparents because he favors legislation that would supposedly help prescription chugs come to the market more quickly to make medicine more available to senior citizens. Too bad this program would cut into the profits of dmg man ufacturers and discourage them from taking the major risks necessary to develop newer and better medications. Although Bowles’ proposal could mar ginally increase the availability of pre scription drugs to seniors, it would end up costing the rest of us, including UNC stu dents, billions in additional taxes. His opponent, Republican candidate Elizabeth Dole, has a better plan that will help the elderly and the rest of us who have to foot the bill. Her plan strikes at the heart of what has caused the prices of health care and prescription drugs to be so high in the first place: trial lawyers. Dole favors medical malpractice reform that would limit the amount of punitive damages that could be sought against health-care providers. She also wants to expand community health-care on the subway, I was amazed when Sen. Wellstone struck up a conversation with me. Immediately upon hearing that I had pre viously attended UNC and planned to attend UNC law school, Sen. Wellstone sang the praises of the University and the law school. For a brief moment, we were simply two Tar Heel graduates having a conversation as if we had been friends for years. Sen. Wellstone did not need to speak to me, but he chose to because he strongly believed in treating people equally Regardless of who you were, Sen. Wellstone tried to get everyone involved. Asa tribute to Sen. Wellstone, I encourage all UNC students, faculty and staff, regardless of your party affiliation, to go out and vote. Let’s send a message to Sen. Wellstone that his passion for political involvement and advocacy lives on at his alma mater. Hunter Pruette Professional Student Law School True Equality Requires System Based on Merit, Not Racial Preferences TO THE EDITOR: Tiffanie Drayton’s (column) on affirma- Wqt Srnlg ®ar KM Established 1893 • 109 Years of Editorial Freedom www.dailytarheel.com Kim Minugh EDITOR Office Hours Noon-2 Friday Daniel Thigpen UNIVERSITY EDITOR Aaron Fitt SPORTSATURDAY EDITOR Kimberly Craven PHOTO EDITOR Michael Flynn OMBUDSMAN 10 MICHAEL MCKNIGHT RIGHT OF WAY Alex Kaplun MANAGING EDITOR Jon Dougherty CITY EDITOR Addie Sluder FEATURES EDITOR Beth Buchholz & Tiffany Pease DESIGN EDITORS centers in all areas of the state that would provide health care to all, regardless of their ability to pay. Bowles also has used scare tactics against seniors to distort his opponent’s record by claiming to be the only candidate who will protect Social Security, He has erroneously claimed that Dole’s plan will decrease the guaranteed benefit for senior citizens by privatizing the pro gram. In reality, Dole’s plan would do no such thing. Instead, it would allow younger workers like us to invest a portion of what we pay into Social Security in the private sector while leaving the benefits of current retirees untouched. Bowles complains the Dole’s Social Security plan would cost too much money. At campaign stops, Dole frequendy holds up a blank sheet of paper to illustrate Bowles’ plan for Social Security. According to the Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan grassroots organization that advances ways to keep Social Security secure for all gener ations, the do-nothing Bowles plan would cut the guaranteed benefit for the average 20-year-old (read: college student) by 29 percent. One would think that Bowles would know that since he once served on the organization’s board of directors. Dole is the only candidate whose vision for saving Social Security is broad tive action was one of the most illogical and unreasonable I have ever heard. Ms. Drayton seems to think that, because her race has suffered from unjust hiring prac tices in the past, whites should be willing to accept this same injustice now. How does this make sense? If equality is indeed what we are striving for, how does making the playing field uneven benefit anyone involved? To tell white people who lose jobs and school enrollments for which they are the most qualified to “get over it” simply because their skin isn’t the right color is just as unreasonable and racist as the Jim Crow laws. Advocates of affirmative action such as Drayton find the injustice it imposes neg ligible simply because it isn’t happening to them. It’s true that racism still exists in this country, but reversing this cycle of dis crimination to victimize a different set of people will do nothing to end it. Only through establishing a level play ing field where people are rewarded for hard work and accomplishments, not their race, can we truly begin to heal the wounds that racism has left in our nation. Jordan Miller Freshman Undeclared (Eh? Satlg (Ear 9*ri Lizzie Breyer PROJECTS EDITOR Elyse Ashbum STATE & NATIONAL EDITOR Nick Parker ARTS k ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Cobi Edelson GRAPHICS EDITOR enough to help both seniors and younger generations. She also favors protecting the environ ment by enacting a permanent ban on oil drilling off the Outer Banks, funding aggressive clean energy research and demanding that polluters pay to clean up environmental accidents. These are pro grams that stand to make significant strides in keeping the environment clean while not stymying business and job growth. She is also the candidate who has a legit imate plan that will bring jobs to the state by lowering the tax burden, expanding North Carolina’s ability to trade in foreign markets and encourage businesses to report their financial status fairly and accurately Bowles wants to keep the United States from being able to market goods abroad by opposing fast-track trade negotiations and says he will keep N.C. textile jobs at home. But I honestly have to wonder how successful Bowles would be at that since he couldn’t even convince his own wife Crandall, the CEO of textile giant Springs Industries, to latch on to his plan. She closed an N.C. plant last December, send ing nearly 300 jobs to Mexico. It is clear from looking at the facts that Elizabeth Dole is the only candidate in this year’s U.S. Senate race who will look out for the interests of UNC students and the rest of North Carolina. Reach Michael McKnight at mmcknigh@email.unc.edu. All Systems That Judge People Based on Race Unfairly Discriminate TO THE EDITOR: Affirmative action is discrimination. It is judging people based on their race rather than their qualifications. Affirmative action encourages the rationale that minorities are unable to compete with the majority so they are given a special standard to com pete at. Why would a minority be in sup port of a law that degrades their abilities? I am a Caucasian male, but I am also a minority. Do not stereotype me by my color or my gender. My heritage is German, Czech and Scottish. I guess this makes me a triple minority because cf my diverse background. The fact remains we are all minorities; we all have a different background. Each national ity has had some form of discrimination. As a minority, I am against affirmative action. I would like to sum up my view with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Mat Randolph Graduate Student Health Policy and Administration
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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