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10 THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2006 gm jiJIH LATOYA EVANS KEEPING IT HEEL LaToya Evans is a junior majoring in journalism and minoring in English. E-MAIL: LSEVANS9EMAIL.UNC.EDU Post-9/11, July 4 has great meaning I sat on the ledge of my win dow, looking at the fireworks above the river, the Brooklyn Bridge their backdrop. There were swarms of people outside who had gathered to see the splendor of the red and blue lights. The night felt like summer, but it wasn’t the same as my other Independence Day weekends. I flashed back to my summers growing up. I remember my fam ily gathering at Fort Bragg to watch the fireworks, spending holidays at my family’s old house in Myrtle Beach, selling fireworks for my high school cheerleading squad in white Daisy Dukes and a red shirt Mid going to cookouts thrown by my aunt and uncle. Those were LIFESTYLE COLUMNIST some of the things that embodied summer —and July 4 for me back then. I was thinking about all those things when I realized that on the exact opposite side of the street as the river and those fireworks is the former site of the World Trade Center. Though this is my second summer interning in New York, I had never gone to Ground Zero until last week, when my mother and some other family members came to visit on a church trip and were touring the city. I never expected what came of that trip. There was a large, square hole in the ground. There was a fence that protected the site, lined with pictures of firefighters and police rescuing victims. Victims. Not people who were just going to work or riding the train right beiow the towers, but people who had left their homes that day only to become victims. Those people won’t be able to enjoy those hamburgers or the fireworks above the river. The trademark summer holiday representing independence has passed them by. It’s ironic that they became victims because someone wanted to victimize the United States. Someone wanted a place where you can do anything and become anyone to be a victim. The land of the free was in bondage on Sept. 11,2001. There were no sno-cones or fireworks or family cookouts to celebrate our independence. There were only cries of sadness because people could not reach family members and cries of hap piness because some were rescued. That changed the face of America’s patriotism for a while. For a year, you could see ragged flags flying from car windows. People erected signs in their front yards and lifted the Star-Spangled Banner on poles that seemed to go up endlessly into the sky. Our nation thought that we could fight people who threatened our independence by showing our pride in the country. Barriers were broken down. We embraced each other because so many had lost loved ones for the same vain cause. What happened to that patrio tism? For most, I think it’s still there, though not as overt. But not all people have taken it to mean more than just a long weekend and marathons on television. Some of the people who let the miniature flag fly on their car have forgotten what being American and being here really stands for. I hope that I never forget. And on Independence Day, everything from the light-up toys to the vendors selling those red, white and blue ice pops were there to celebrate. Mothers held the hands of young children whose fathers were lost at the towers. Some were veterans who had won Purple Hearts. Some had lost a son in Iraq. Thanks to this coun try, they lost something important to them. But they still came out to see those bright lights bursting over the river. They still came out to celebrate because nothing could make them turn their backs on their country. Nothing could stop them from donning that red, white and blue. EDITORIAL CARTOON By Doug Marlette, Tribune Media Services Bonds hits number 714 j accomplished. ) N 1*25 I / | l*--— • jYj '^^^4 PATRIOTIC DUTIES Strive to be better informed and more politically active With firecrackers exploding and beer flowing, this year’s Independence Day was a great deal of fun. The editorial board got to sing the national anthem in English and Spanish and revelled in the United States’ birthday. But as we recovered from celebrating 230 years of sover eignty and glory, we started to reflect on the meaning of the holiday. Of course, July 4 is a day of patriotism. It’s a time to take a moment and celebrate being an American. It’s a time to savor our liberties, gather as a com munity and watch a parade or some fireworks. It can also be a time of remembrance. As it became fashionable to say a few months ago: Freedom isn’t free. From 1776 to present, millions of our fellow citizens have manned the gates of our nation. And far too Brewing up trouble A keg-registration plan is a lame fix for a real problem What you gon’ do with all that beer? All that beer inside your keg? I’m gon’ get, get, get you arrested? That could wind up being the case if legislation that’s meant to tighten the state’s DWI laws gets approved in the General Assembly. Unfortunately, while most of the bill’s proposals are welcome, one of its ideas mandating the registration of kegs is an example of that old James Brown song title: “Talking Loud and Saying Nothing.” At face value, the proposal which would mandate that those buying a keg obtain a permit from the local Alcoholic Beverage Control board isn’t a bad one. It will provide for what is essentially a state database of who’s buying kegs, making it easier to prosecute people who provide alcohol to those under 21. To which we say: That’s great, but when are we start going to deal with the problem of underage drinking? A helping hand Hiring and training more advisers will help students If you’re in the College of Arts & Sciences, we’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that the academic advising program is looking to add five full-time staff, and more staff will be brought on once renovations create more office space. Currently, a staff of 17 full time staff and 30 part-time staff service the largest college in the University. While these advisers work hard, it is no secret that the overall program has been in need of improve ment for a while, so any new additions to advising staff are welcome. And as Bobbi Owen, senior associate dean for undergrad uate education, has acknowl Opinion many of them have had to make the ultimate sacrifice so that we might enjoy what we have. But as we celebrate our pre cious freedoms and remember friends and family who have been called to duty, we should also affirm our basic obliga tions as everyday citizens. Being an American citizen —a citizen of a sophisticated democratic republic —and a patriot is about more than just gathering on July 4 and wav ing a flag. It is about fulfilling essential responsibilities as we enjoy our freedoms. Students, particularly those in high school, don’t drink most of their alcohol from kegs. That’s not to say kegs aren’t used, but the majority of kids get most of their alcohol from cases of beer and bottles of hard liquor local activists’ horror stories to the contrary notwithstanding. Making it less convenient to buy a keg, therefore, won’t do much of anything to solve the problem of underage drinking nor will it do much to hold people accountable for their illicit activity. If you make it riskier to buy kegs, people over 21 will stop buying them —and will instead purchase more Aristocrat vodka and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer for their underage peers. In other words, the plan is likely to backfire. Instead of making it easier to throw folks in the slammer or, at least, to slap them with fines it will push the problem of underage drinkers and their over-21 friends further underground. Somehow, we doubt that’s what the honorables in Raleigh edged, training for advisers could be improved. While recognizing a problem is the first step in fixing it, so is action. We hope to see file steps taken soon to provide better training especially if it helps advising appointments go more smoothly, with advisers more aware of the courses students need to take to success. And that knowledge is important, especially because we’ve all opened the Undergraduate Bulletin, stared at it for 15 minutes and then said, “Wha?” That’s why academic advis ing is so important. We can’t all just sit down, read the bul letin and get it. We need a corps of knowledgeable people to turn to with questions and As citizens, we have an obli gation to be informed, partici pate in the democratic process, pay taxes, do jury duty and, if need be, defend the nation. The last three, though dif ficult, are generally covered. Most people pay taxes, juries get filled and there hasn’t been a draft in decades. But voting and knowing what’s going on seem to elude us. People are less and less informed, and less than half the nation votes. It’s pathetic, and hardly shows a nation of patriotic peoples. So as you arise from your post-Independence Day drinking and your swelling of American pride, think about redoubling your efforts to ful fill you patriotic obligations. Go pick up a newspaper or watch the news; get in the know. And in November, be a real American— vote. had in mind. It’s unfortunate, because the rest of the DWI bill makes it much easier to prosecute the people who put their lives and others’ at risk when they get drunk and get behind the wheel of a car. Nobody can argue with that at least, nobody whose opinion is worth respecting. But keg registration is, at best, a seriously weak fix to a seriously deadly problem. At worst, it’s an unfair invasion of the privacy of those who simply prefer to buy kegs instead of cases. It should be nixed. Key provisions of the keg-registration bill: > In order to purchase a keg containing more than 8 gallons of beer, a permit from the local Alcoholic Beverage Control board would be required. > The address of where the keg’s content would be consumed would have to be given. > It would be illegal for those under 21 to drink alcohol; now, it is only illegal to purchase or possess alcohol if under 21. concerns. Having more and better trained advisers should lead to the improvements students deserve. It should lead to an advising experience where more questions are answered than asked. The University and student government deserve praise for their efforts to improve aca demic advising for students. And while we pat them on the back, we should see them go even further. Academic advisers help stu dents set ihe paths they’ll take in their time at UNC, and they deserve the best help possible in setting that course. Oh, and the bad news we had for you: You didn’t save 15 per cent on your auto insurance. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to he unpopular ADLAI STEVENSON, POLITICIAN LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Due to space constaints, letters are sometimes cut. Read the full-length versions online or post your own response to a letter. VISIT: http://ww.daHytarhed.com New ticket policy has both pros and cons for students TO THE EDITOR: I think that the new ticket system has good features, but I hope that some of its weaknesses are fixed. Moving the distribution online will definitely be more efficient, and that is great I hope, however, that we don’t have problems with tickets not being claimed or being claimed and not used. As the system has now been described, I see no reason why every student would not ask for tickets to every game. It’s just too easy not to. In addition, if one’s number is chosen, I think one would claim the tickets, as replying to an e mail takes no effort. I think this system will make it more com mon that tickets get claimed but not used which is worse than unclaimed. After each game, the Carolina Athletic Association should post to its Web site how many student tickets were available, how many CAA kept for its own use, how many were claimed and how many were claimed but went unused. Sean Palmer Graduate Student Biochemistry, Biophysics Tar Heel alum is not happy with the new ticket policy TO THE EDITOR: The more I read about the new ticket policy for this upcom ing season’s basketball games, the worse I feel for my fellow and future Tar Heels. Who seriously thought this was a good idea when they were putting it together? Ticket distribution should con sist of camping out overnight for tickets so that we separate the Tar Heel fans who really love going to basketball games from those who go for the social aspect. Now, by being able to register online for games, you are taking away the only thing that sepa rates these two types of fans. Congratulations, Carolina Athletic Association, you’ve man age to outdo yourselves this time. What crazy idea will you guys think of next, something like making it so that students are not be able to sit with their friends? I mean, that would just be a crazy idea. Wait, that’s part of the plan, too? Brilliant. I just have one question for the brain trusts in the CAA and other officials involved: Was Rock, Paper, Scissors too complicated of an idea? DanFusaiotti Class 0f2003 Ticket policy will make it easier for all Tar Heel fans TO THE EDITOR: Unlike many students, it seems, I am very pleased with the new ticket distribution poli cies for men’s basketball. While some argue that past policies helped ensure that only “serious” fans received tickets, I think that requiring students to come to campus at 7 a.m. on a Saturday was not ideal. All fans have to start some where I dare say many of the die-hard Tar Heel fans began as casual fans at one point. I live in Burlington, and it is a major hassle to have to come to campus on a Saturday. Many students especially graduate SPEAK OUT WRITING GUIDELINES: > Please type: hand-written letters will not be accepted. > Sign and date:no more than two people should sign letters. > Students: include your year, major and phone number. > Faculty /staff: include your department and phone number. > Edit: the DTH edits for space, clarity, accuracy and vulgarity. SUBMISSION: > Drop off: at our office at Suite 2409 in the Student Union. > E-mail: to editdesk©unc.edu > Send: to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, N.C., 27515. EDITOR'S NOTE: Editorials are the opinions solely of The Daily Tar Heel editorial board. The board consists of three board members, the associate opinion editor, the opinion editor and the summer editor. The summer editor decided not to vote on the board BaiUj ®ar students also have families and other commitments that make it difficult or preclude them from coming to Saturday distributions. I have been a Ihr Heel basket ball fan as long as I can remem ber —one of my best memories is welcoming the players back after the 1993 championship —and I look forward to attending as many games as possible this year. Thank you for making it easier for all students to attend games and cheer for the Heels. Katie Chalmers Graduate Student City e? Regional Planning Editorial turns Tar Heel against Tar Heel unfairly TO THE EDITOR: In the June 29 edition of The Daily Tar Heel, the editorial “A mistake revisited” unnecessarily encourages ill will among UNC’s students. The editorial focuses on how both athletes and Morehead Scholars will be sucking money from North Carolina citizens and even says that the bill results in two organizations “using their clout against Tar Heel natives.” However, neither the orga nizations nor their affiliated students on campus passed the “foul” bill lawmakers did. Nobody on campus is trying to use their dout against anyone, and die editorial falsely gives a nega tive image to full-ride students. Instead of complaining to fel low students, why not write a more professional editorial that considers both the advantages and disadvantages of the bill, and ask students to send their thoughts to lawmakers? And lay off the discrimination between students. Aren’t we all Tax Heels, native or not? Virginia Weaver Senior Biology REPORT CARDS * Happy belated Independence Day ■ CHECK-PLUS Last Tuesday, 230 years ago, 13 colonies decided they were sick of high taxes and room temperature beer, so they declared independence from Great Britain. Two centuries later, the British are still very bitter. ✓ Provost hits the dusty trail CHECK Provost Robert Shelton stepped down Saturday to take over as President of the University of Arizona. Though Shelton was a good administrator who will be missed, we’re glad to see him do well for himself. * Newt Gingrich v. John Edwards CHECK-MINUS Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich challenged former Senator John Edwards to a debate about ending poverty. With presidential aspirations comes talk of poverty but no solutions. laily (sar MM Established 1893, 113 years of editorial freedom CHRIS COLETTA SUMMER EDITOR, 962-4086 CCOLEnAeEMAILUNC.EDU JOSEPH STARNES OPINION EDITOR, 962-0750 JMSTARNESOGMAIL.COM JEFF SMITH ASSOCIATE OPINION EOITOR, 962-0750 JEFFSMITHOUNC.EDU EDIT BOARD MEMBERS NUREENA FARUQI JESSICA SCISM JORDAN STONE
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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