16
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2007
JEFF SOPLOP
IF THE WATER'S ITCHY, GET OUT
Jeff Soplop is a graduate student in
the journalism school,
E-MAIL: SOPLOPJS@YAHOO.COM
Don’t be
afraid
of some
heavy talk
Obesity. It’s not a dirty word
or even an insulting word.
Then why do people get
so touchy when they hear it? That
question has been on my mind the
past week after I got some negative
feedback for mentioning obesity in
last week’s column.
In the column, I noted that a
park in Colorado was so overde
veloped it catered to the “lazy and
obese.’’ I was commenting on how
the park’s designers were effec
tively discouraging exercise, but a
few people thought I was insulting
fat people.
I don’t mind offending the
oversensitive, but I have to wonder
why mentioning obesity is taboo.
While disparag
ing people for
how they look
AT-LARGE
COLUMNIST
is wrong no matter what physical
trait is involved, there is a differ
ence between being respectful and
being ridiculous about the growing
problem of obesity in America.
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
around two-thirds of adults in
the United States are either over
weight or obese. That number has
more than doubled since 1980, and
the rise in weight has made obesity
the number two cause of mortality
in the United States, second only
to smoking. We are, quite literally,
eating ourselves to death.
For those of us cozilv ensconced
in the skinny land of UNC, it’s
difficult to detect the obesity epi
demic plaguing our nation. In fact,
most college students, women in
particular, struggle with eating dis
orders such as anorexia and buli
mia rather than with overeating.
But for all you exercise-obsessed
18- to 22-year-olds sweating away
at the rec center, you’ve got a dose
of reality coming after graduation
day. Life in the post-college world
is busier and more stressful than in
college, and finding time to work
out and eat well takes serious will
power. As the years pass by, you
will find it tougher to stay fit.
So how do we drop the extra
pounds? Some local governments
are trying by outlawing unhealthy
foods. In 2006, New York City
became the first city in the country
to ban the use of trans fats an
unhealthy ingredient of many pro
cessed foods in its restaurants
and bakeries. Other cities are now
following New York’s lead, and
several states, such as Maryland
and Vermont, are considering a
ban as well.
But this paternalistic style of
government seems at odds with
the notions of liberty and freedom
of choice that America should
encapsulate, and attempted gov
ernment suppression of unhealthy
products doesn’t always have the
intended results.
When the authorities cracked
down on tobacco by banning
smoking in public places and rais
ing cigarette prices, the decline in
smoking contributed to the rise in
obesity. Many people were tossing
out their Camels and picking up
Twinkles instead. Similarly, bans
on unhealthy foods might not be
the best way to offset obesity.
Instead of dictating what people
can and can’t eat, the government
should focus on making it easier
for Americans to eat right and
exercise daily.
When I go to the grocery store,
I always lament that a bag of chips
is cheaper than a pound of fresh
produce. One reason for this is our
government has tariffs on produce
imported from other countries.
Why not lower or remove the
tariffs and make fresh fruit and
vegetables cheaper and more com
petitive with the processed junk?
Or to promote exercise, local
governments should make it easier
for people to walk places rather
than driving everywhere. City
planners can do this by adding
sidewalks and zoning for central
market areas in neighborhoods.
Such simple ideas would help curb
obesity while upholding our right
to choose.
The fact is each of us will strug
gle with our weight at some point
in our life. So let’s not be afraid to
talk about obesity while we take a
nice long walk in the park.
EDITORIAL CARTOON By Mason Phillips, mphil@email.unc.edu
1® PARKING DECK I (g)CLEARCUT FOREST ■ ©POLLUTION FACwJ
Don’t argue with a fool
Yelling at Pit preachers just plays into their game
The fear-mongering rheto
ric of a fiery afterlife for
those sinful UNC students
once again floated cacophonous
ly from the Pit on Monday, only
to be removed shortly thereaf
ter.
A group of evangelists
from Soulwinners Ministries
International set up shop in
Gary Birdsong’s traditional
spot, drawing the ire of many
passing students.
After the usual banter
between the preachers and
students took an ugly turn,
Soulwinners was asked to leave
campus by the Department of
Public Safety.
We applaud DPS for ensuring
that things didn’t get out of hand
by taking action when the offi
cers on duty realized they could
no longer guarantee the safety of
the evangelists or the students.
Soulwinners has since
returned to the Pit without a
major incident, though there
Banned in the big house
Federal prisons should have freedom in book choices
In federal prisons nationwide
inmates are now facing a
very different picture when
they enter the prison library.
Chaplains in the prisons have
been purging hundreds and
thousands of books and other
materials from the libraries.
The chaplains were directed
by the Bureau of Prisons to
remove any books, tapes, CDs
and videos that were not on
a list of approved resources
deemed not to incite violence.
Based on the selectivity of
that list, this is a clear violation
of First Amendment rights.
The action was taken based
on a Justice Department report
filed after the Sept. 11 attacks
that stated that prisons should
do what they can not to be a
place of recruitment for mili
tant or terrorist groups. So all
religious texts that “promote
violence” were removed.
We understand the need to
keep literature that promotes
violence away from a particu
larly volatile audience. But the
method in which it was done is
entirely illogical.
The Bureau of Prisons cre-
Our Hall of Famer
Williams’ Hall induction a boon for the University
Roy. Just mention his
name and for many Tar
Heels, the heavens open
and angels sing.
UNC men’s basketball head
coach Roy Williams was induct
ed or rather enshrined
Friday in the Naismith Memorial
Basketball Hall of Fame.
Why is it we at UNC love
Roy so much? He’s not just
beloved, he’s worshiped.
You can buy an “In Roy we
trust” T-shirt on Franklin Street,
and his second coming to Chapel
Hill was heralded louder by UNC
fans than the second coming of
Jesus by evangelists.
Williams has led not one,
but two legendary basketball
programs. For those who don’t
know, he spent 15 years coach
ing the successful University
Opinion
have been many more heated
interactions.
As much as we don’t like hear
ing the preachers, the free speech
argument cannot be ignored. It’s
true that the evangelists’ ability
to participate in free speech was
infringed upon.
However, in Schenck v.
United States, the Supreme
Court ruled that in cases where
there is “clear and present dan
ger,” free speech can be limited.
It appears this incident fell
under that description.
Students also should con
sider other responses to the
preachers’ hateful rhetoric.
Throwing evangelists’ Bibles
in a trash can is not the best
way to keep the situation from
turning dangerous.
It’s perfectly OK to disagree
with the evangelists’ opinions.
All of us do, too. Hdwever, when
going against a group that’s
so blatantly attention-hungry,
you’re just playing into their
ated a list of about 150 books
and 150 multimedia materials
for each of 20 religious catego
ries that it feels are acceptable
for inmates to read.
Afterward, no money was
allocated for prisons to buy the
titles on the list, so some pris
ons are left with bare shelves.
It would have been far eas
ier simply to make a shorter
list including only books to be
banned.
Or, better yet, just leave the
system as it was chaplains
already rejected materials that
incited violence, and donated
materials had to be approved
by prison officials.
Also, many chaplains and
religious groups expressed
dissatisfaction with the final
lists. The lists tend to contain
a majority of books published
by the same group or company
for the given religion.
Banning books that incite vio
lence in prisons is an important
step for die government to take,
but since when does the govern
ment know which 150 books are
the best for each religion?
Not one religious group
of Kansas Jayhawks.
As UNC head coach, though,
he is only in his fifth year.
He already has led his team
to the 2005 NCAA National
Championship title.
This performance followed
on the heels of an excruciating
two years and 36 losses for the
Tar Heels.
But it isn’t just the wins that
make us love Roy Williams.
It’s the way he wins.
There’s a lot of talk of the
“class” of the Carolina basket
ball tradition. But it isn’t just
folklore.
Take for example the cham
pionship game in 2005 against
the University of Illinois. After
briefly celebrating the win
with his family, Williams went
directly to Illinois coach Bruce
hands by arguing with them.
UNC students have a rich
and wonderful history of
vocally protesting anything
they do not agree with, which
is quite healthy. However it
isn’t really the ideal response
when your opponents claim to
have God on their side. That’s
just asking for a smite-down.
If the new Pit preachers really
bother you, the best way to get
them to leave campus is simply
to ignore them.
Protest their opinion by not
protesting. Ignore it even though
what they say can be offensive.
We know this will be hard to
handle for those UNC students
who take Offense when U.S. Rep.
David Price, D-Orange., isn’t
liberal enough, but sometimes
ignoring these things is better
than trying to argue with them.
Because let’s face it, you’re
not going to change their minds,
just like they aren’t going to
change yours.
that has seen the list is satis
fied with the selections made.
Some religious staples have
been omitted, and some books
that are included were not even
recognized by the most promi
nent religious leaders.
Plus, without an abundance
of different religious texts it
inhibits religious education and
understanding.
People who are not deemed a
national threat also are denied
access to religious materials.
A Christian and an Orthodox
Jew, both prison inmates, are
suing the bureau for violating
their rights to the free exercise
of their respective religion. We
wish them the best of luck.
The decision-making pro
cess should be opened up to
religious leaders, if for nothing
else but input, so that appropri
ate choices are made. Inmates
who have been reading accept
able texts should be allowed to
continue reading them.
We know they’re prison
ers, but it still wouldn’t hurt
the government to put a little
more effort into their intellec
tual developments.
Weber to offer consolation.
Williams continues to pro
mote the Carolina Way, as evi
dent in his organization and
non-nonsense style.
His players are disciplined on
and off the court, and he won’t
even put up with bad behavior
from his fans. (Just try booing
the other team at a home game
and see what happens).
While leading UNC, he
has continued to promote the
class and respectability that
have been associated with the
Carolina basketball tradition
since the Dean Smith era.
His commitment to integrity
and his loyalty to his players
have earned him —and UNC
respect from competitors.
So here’s to you, coach
Williams. Congratulations.
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“They’re at a level that’s so elite.
Ton have to hiring it.”
MANDY BRANNON, JUNIOR, ON THE TRYOUT PROCESS
FOR THE UNC DANCE TEAM.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Smoking ban will improve
campus health and safety
TO THE EDITOR:
In response to Monday’s arti
cle on the proposed ban of smok
ing within 100 feet of buildings,
(“Smokers facing 100-foot walk,”
Sept. 10) I would like to voice my
wholehearted support.
This ban would be a big step
toward making the campus a more
healthy and inviting place.
The evidence is clear that smok
ing is bad for your health and the
health of those around you.
In response to the comment
that it is a personal decision: If I
made a personal decision to walk
around campus with a radioac
tive material emitting radia
tion that would lead to cancer
in those within a 5-foot radius,
would (that) be OK?
There are many resources
available through the Campus
Health Services’ Counseling and
Wellness Services office to assist
in tobacco cessation.
These resources include
advice, coaching and counseling
by a trained professional on the
health impacts of smoking and
various methods that can assist
in quitting, including drugs that
are available to help quit.
I encourage everyone that
smokes to utilize these services
to benefit your health and the
health of those around you.
Jacob Spangler
PharmD Candidate
Junior
New Pit preachers spew a
message of hate not love
TO THE EDITOR:
I was quoted in the Tuesday
edition of The Daily Tar Heel
regarding the newest Evangelists
on campus (“Evangelists escorted
off campus,” Sept. 11) saying that
“some people” might agree with
their message and not find it
offensive at all.
To qualify statement, I
would like to say that “some peo
ple” are certainly in the minority.
And for good reason.
(Michael) Venyah, one of the
evangelists, was quoted as say
ing that “We were just preaching
the gospel of Jesus Christ.” But as
a Christian, I am quite unfamil
iar with the gospel they’ve been
preaching.
If the evangelists really want to
preach the gospel of Jesus Christ,
they should do it in the spirit of
Jesus’ own words and message.
Jesus came proclaiming the
coming of the “kingdom of God,”
(Mark 1:15) and came to preach
good news to the poor, pro
claim freedom for the prisoners,
recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed and to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s
favor (Luke 4:18-21).
Contrary to their message that
“God hates some people,” the Jesus
in scripture showed compassion
and love to more than one adulter
ess, a prostitute, tax collectors and
“sinners,” rich men and poor men
alike and any number of those
who were considered “unclean”.
The only people he really
showed any contempt for at all
were the pharisees and teach
ers of the law who claimed to
be without sin and gave to the
people the burden of perfection.
Sound familiar?
Amanda Barbee
Junior
Anthropology
SPEAK OUT
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©ljp SotUj (Ear Hrrl
Evangelists engage in new
and creative word choice
TO THE EDITOR:
Yesterday I was impressed
by the preachers squawking in
the Pit, not by their moral for
titude, but by their linguistic
ingenuity.
Myself and others were indis
criminately labeled “vigorous
masturbators,” two words that had
never shared a union in mind.
Though I’ve never considered
myself a “vigorous masturbator,”
I can honestly say that I’ve never
been more receptive to the idea.
In fact, I think we should use
these objects of hatred to remove
the evangelists from campus
without infringing on their right
to free speech.
I propose creating the ‘Sin-
Drive’ or alternately ‘Sin-A-Thon,’
where students pledge to commit
at least one act of abominable sin
for each day that the preachers
continue to come to the Pit.
Actions including, but not lim
ited to, vigorous masturbation,
premarital sex and nonhetero
sexual sex could all contribute to
the cause.
Hopefully, in the face of caus
ing thousands of damnable acts
by their staying, the evangelists
will peacefully leave our campus
in the interest of salvation.
It’s time to fight fire with
eternal fire.
Nathaniel Gindele
Senior
Philosophy
Study abroad credits will
eventually be transferred
TO THE EDITOR:
It is true that the study abroad
office has suspended work tem
porarily on credit reports while
we advise students seeking to
study abroad in spring 2008.
However, if you are graduat
ing iii December and/or if your
financial aid will be impacted
somehow by credits not show
ing up, please contact your
study abroad adviser via e-mail,
explain the situation and we will
be sure to get those credits trans
ferred immediately.
I am always ready to consider
alternative ways to administer the
office. But credit transfer cannot
be disengaged from advising.
We provide a personal service
whereby each student is individu
ally advised about program choice
in relation to academic objectives
and curricula requirements.
Credit transfer after the stu
dent returns to campus con
cludes a long process of support
and is dependent upon not only
the advisers knowledge of the
programs but also of the two dif
ferent college curricula that are
currently in existence.
Concerning the vacant posi
tions, both were advertised
immediately and some part-time
cover was arranged. One posi
tion has been filled. The training
of the new member of the team
will begin next Monday.
Robert Miles
Associate Dean for Study
Abroad and International
Exchanges
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