4
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2005
Students fast to share experience
BY JESSICA GIBSON
STAFF WRITER
The call to prayer and a desire to
help the hungry summoned about
90 people to the Hanes Art Center
Thursday night to take part in a
feast to break their daylong fast.
The meal celebrated the end of
the fast-a-thon, organized by the
Muslim Students Association as
part of Islamic Awareness Week.
For every student who pledged
to fast, local businesses and private
donors will contribute more money
toward feeding the hungry' in the
area.
All proceeds raised from the
fast-a-thon will go to the local
charity, the Inter-Faith Council for
Social Service.
Muslims are celebrating the
holy month of Ramadan, and they
fast each day from sunup to sun
down. Members of MSA said they
hoped the fast-a-thon will help
dispel stereotypes by educating
non-Muslims about the practices
of Islam.
“A lot of people have misconcep
DOWNTOWN
FROM PAGE 1
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tions about our faith”, said freshman
Fahmida Azad, a member of MSA.
The fast-a-thon was part of
MSA members’ weeklong efforts
to educate the campus about
Muslim culture.
MSA members have been in the
Pit throughout the week, answer
ing students’ questions and trying
to break down misconceptions.
They said the fast was one way
others could relate to the Muslim
experience.
“It lets people get a glimpse of
what it’s like when Muslims fast”,
said sophomore Arif Kahn, out
reach co-coordinator for MSA.
Some people said they found
similarities between Islam and
their own religions during this
period of reflection.
“I’ve never fasted before,” said
Quentin Read, a freshman. “I was
raised Catholic, and I’ve always
given up things for Lent so I decid
ed to try this.”
As one of the five pillars of Islam,
fasting is an important part of the
Islamic religion, MSA members
permit, requiring them to come
before the aldermen for approval.
It’s another step in the often long
process that happens even before
any construction can begin.
But not everyone thinks building
heights alone will do the trick in
giving Carrboro the kind of build
ings the aldermen want to see.
Mark Chilton, current alderman
and mayoral candidate, said the
board only reviews projects with
property size exceeding one acre
or developments that might stand
too tall.
said at the event.
It is a method of self-purification
and self-restraint and also allows
one to empathize with those who
are less fortunate, they said.
Fasters were encouraged to think
about others who were less fortunate
than themselves during the day.
Ihab Saad, professor of construc
tion management for East Carolina
University and speaker for the
night, said he believes people are
called to help each other.
“We are one big family,” he said.
While the fast-a-thon raised
money to benefit those in the local
area, there are more than 1 bil
lion people in the world who suf
fer from hunger and malnutrition,
MSA members said at the celebra
tion feast.
There is a saying that you should
give until it hurts, but Saad said he
disagrees with this philosophy.
“You must give until it doesn’t
hurt and you enjoy it,” he said.
Contact the University Editor
at udesk@unc.edu.
“In (a business zone) like down
town, that’s almost meaningless,”
Chilton said.
Instead, the trigger for a condi
tional-use permit could be building
square footage, Chilton said.
Carnahan said he doesn’t want
the town to make every developer
come before the aldermen.
“Developers view us as difficult,”
he said. “It would behoove us to be
clear about what we want.”
When asked for examples of
what the town does want, Chilton
and others point to Weaver Street
Market, with its open green that
has become a gathering place.
Doubling commercial space
will ease the tax burden on resi
dents, but improving downtown
shouldn’t be a purely economic
priority, said David Marshall, an
alderman hopefid.
“It’s about quality of life,” he said.
“It’s about maldng life better for all
of the town’s residents.”
Contact the City Editor
at citydesk@unc.edu.
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News
MIERS
FROM PAGE 1
William Marshall, a professor in
the UNC School of Law, said her
withdrawal was precipitated by the
news of her personal finances.
He said that Miers’ reason like
ly was a cover and that it was the
accumulated pressure that led her
to withdraw.
England said that because
Miers’ experience primarily comes
from her work in the executive
branch, her nomination gave rise
to this issue.
“It’s a credit to Miers that she
recognized this and decided not
to force this conflict on the two
branches,” he said.
“She’s prevented what probably
would have been a real serious
issue between the president and
Congress.”
SPEAKER
FROM PAGE 1
excel in some form of academia or
humanitarian efforts.
“We also look at whether the
person would be willing to speak
for free,” Allred said. “That ends up
eliminating a lot of people.”
Previous speakers include
Erskine Bowles, who recently was
named president of the UNC sys
tem, and entertainer Bill Cosby.
Whisnant said that he and
Senior Class Vice President Jenny
Peddycord solicited input from
seniors and that almost half the
recommendation list came from
student suggestions.
But Whisnant noted that it can
be difficult to .find someone who
appeals to graduates, families and
the University community.
“I think that’s something we
always struggle with,” he said.
“The senior class always feels as
though this is the day for them. But
Commencement is really a University
celebration for everyone.”
Dearmin said he is confident that
whoever is selected will possess attri
butes desirable to all audiences.
“We’re going to get someone that
seniors will like and that others will
like as well.”
Contact the University Editor
at udesk@unc.edu.
He added that in order to func
tion effectively, the executive
branch must have a strong privi
lege.
The withdrawal could have
serious implications for Supreme
Court cases, with Justice Sandra
Day O’Connor remaining on the
bench until a replacement can be
named.
“One of the ironies of this case
is that the right-wing conserva
tives that are disenchanted with
O’Connor have her deciding in
(cases),” said Glenn Smith, law pro
fessor for the California Western
School of Law.
Smith said that O’Connor is
known for being a justice who is
less predictable and less staunch
on certain issues and that Miers
might have been more consistent.
Bush now faces the challenge of
finding another nominee. He said
MARKET
FROM PAGE 1
to fruition.
“This is exactly what we envi
sioned,” he said. “People are excit
ed, everybody’s been happy with
the turnout.”
Although Dearmin wasn’t
involved in the market’s initial
planning, once he became aware of
the center’s work, his administra
tion aided in publicity and helped
recruit volunteers.
“I’ve heard no complaints and
a lot of positive feedback,” he said.
Emily Ingram, a volunteer
at the market who is a member
of the Student Environmental
Action Coalition, said it is ongo
ing work to try to get local and
organic foods served in campus
dining halls.
And Jeff Ledbetter, a CDS man
ager, said the event was geared to
DEARMIN
FROM PAGE 1
to take a look at diversity and equity
by working to “make sure that all
departments are responding well to
the needs of LGBTQ students.”
“That sounds nice,” Rimbach
said. “But what our community
needs at Carolina is a concrete list
of specific changes that can be made
to protect the rights that are not
awarded to queers on campus.”
Rimbach said adding a gender
identity clause to the University’s
nondiscrimination policy is the
most important issue to the
LGBTQ community.
“(Student Body Vice President
Adrian Johnston) has taken that
issue back to the chancellor,”
Dearmin said.
Also important is publicizing
the benefits that same-sex faculty
partners at the University receive
and focusing on community and
classroom safety, Rimbach said.
Dearmin’s entire campaign staff
was Safe Zone-trained, and he said
he now is working on training for
everyone in student government
Dearmin also said he hopes
the addition of a male and female
Greek representative to his cabi
net will provide a greater voice in
student government for the Greek
community.
“Which is huge,” said Kit
Mac Lean, president of the
Panhellenic Council. “We’ve been
trying to be a part of student gov
ernment and campus life for a
really long time.”
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ullp Hatty ®ar 34M
he will make a choice in a timely
manner.
“His next nominee will be
tougher for him,” said Michael
Gerhardt, a professor in the UNC
School of Law. He added that Bush
must decide whether to appease
the right wing with his next selec
tion.
Marshall said reaction to the next
nominee likely will be divided more
along party lines because right-wing
disapproval increases the legitimacy
of any left-wing protests.
Smith said he hopes the next
nominee will reflect a wider scope
for the future of the court and its
decisions.
“There are bigger stakes involved
here than getting a partisan advan
tage,” he said.
Contact the State & National
Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
promote locally grown fare.
“A lot of the things we offer
here are made and prepared
here,” he said. Locally grown
items at the market were identi
fied by signs.
But some students said they
weren’t satisfied with the amount
of local fare offered.
Manju Rajendran, who bought
a pumpkin pie, said she thought
local sellers were not well-repre
sented.
“I really like the idea of having a
real farmers’ market that supports
small farms, where all proceeds go
directly to the people who prepare
the food,” she said.
“I feel like we could do better
than having a fake farmers’ mar
ket,” Rajendran said.
“But the pie is good.”
Contact the University Editor
at udesk@unc.edu.
She said Dearmin attends all
policy-making meetings regarding
changes to the Greek system and is
working to integrate the Greek judi
cial board with the Honor Court.
“I see him out,” Mac Lean said.
“I know he goes to the spaghetti
dinners, cookouts and 5Ks that
support the community.”
From the housing vantage
point, reworking the technology
interface involved with the recon
tracting process also was at the top
of Dearmin’s to-do list.
“The committee recontracting
recommendations to this date make
it look very different from how it
was last year,” said Rick Bradley,
assistant director of information
and communication for housing
andresidential education.
While the significant chang
es have not yet been approved,
Dearmin’s involvement has been
well-received.
“He appointed four student gov
ernment representatives to the hous
ing advisory board,” Bradley said.
“It’s very helpful to have students
at that level that are involved.”
Dearmin’s executive staff is in
the process of scheduling, and div
vying up, meetings with some 40
student organizations.
“On the whole, we want more
feedback from groups across the
board,” Dearmin said.
“We need a lot of change to the
face of student government so peo
ple will buy into this organization.”
Contact the University Editor
at udesk@unc.edu.