VOLUME 115, ISSUE 156
Professor’s remarks draw fire
Abortion comments anger some students
BY COLIN CAMPBELL
STAfF WRITER
A UNC biology professor has
sparked controversy after telling his
embryology class last week that fetus
es with Down syndrome should be
aborted.
During a lecture, Albert Harris said:
"In my opinion, the moral thing for
older mothers to do is to have amnio
centesis, as soon during pregnancy
as is safe for the fetus, test whether
placental cells have a third chromo
some number 21, and abort the fetus
if it does. The brain is the last organ to
become functional."
Several students said they were
A BATTLE OF THE BREWS
McDonald’s
vs. Starbucks
BY RACHEL KUROWSKI
STAFF WRITER
A typical breakfast
from McDonald's: an Egg
McMuffin, hash browns
and an iced vanilla latte?
Three local McDonald's
restaurants have plunged into
the specialty coffee market,
offering high-end beverages at
lower prices than competitors.
The company is attempting
to lure customers away from
gourmet coffee shops as many
Americans are cutting back on
spending in light of the coun
try's recent economic troubles.
“We're not just targeting
Starbucks customers, we're
targeting specialty-coffee
drinkers in general," said
Matt lngeld, supervisor of the
McDonald's in Hillsborough.
“Today’s customers are
demanding different bever
age options, and McDonald’s
has the opportunity to cater
to their needs."
• As of last week, Ingold’s
store, as well as stores on
Fordham Boulevard and
N.C. 54 near the Streets at
Southpoint, offer the gourmet
coffee line
The menu includes cappuc
cinos, hot chocolate, premium
roast coffee, and regular and
iced mochas and lattes.
A remaining question is
whether loyal customers of
Starbucks, the world’s leading
seller of gourmet coffee, will
start heading to the Golden
Arches for their caffeine fix.
For those on a budget,
maybe. A medium latte from
McDonald's costs $2.49, com
pared to $3.20 for a medium
SEE MCDONALD'S, PAGE 5
Thomas ups his game in Lawson’s absence
BY JESSE BAUMGARTNER
SENIOR WRITER
The first slam, a routine two-hander off
a baseline cut, drew a stunned reaction.
Something to the tune of— hold up,
was that just Quentin Thomas?
But that play was merely a precursor to
the second dunk, a combination of athleti
cism, timing and showmanship that the
senior has rarely meshed together during
his UNC career and another sign of his
growing confidence at the point
Covered on the perimeter by multiple
Virginia Tech defenders Saturday, Thomas
executed a check-those-ankles juke to get
into the lane. Nearing the hoop at full
speed, he took off and, rather than just lay
ing it up, kept rising to force the ball home
with his left hand as the crowd's “Quuueee"
cheers reached a potential record level.
While teammates had seen such feats
in practice, Thomas couldn’t remember
the last time he dunked in a game.
CORRECTION
Due to a reporting error,
Friday’s front-page story “Murder
suspect released on bail* incor
rectly names the judge who set
bail for William Stroud, who is
charged with first-degree mur
der. District Court Judge Alonzo
Coleman set bail. The Daily Thr
Heel apologizes for the error.
Serving the students and the University community since 1893
lailu ®ar Mrrl
offended by Harris’ remarks and don’t
think a professor should express such
opinions in a class.
‘I was in disbelief," said senior Lara
Frame, who has a brother with Down
syndrome, "I’ve never run across any
one who would say that to another
individual, much less a class."
But some of the about 140 students
in the class said the remarks weren't
out of line.
"I thought it was perfectly justi
fied," senior Scott Jones said. “I actu
ally want to hear these opinions and
form my own judgments about them. I
think it's a matter of freedom of speech
in education."
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Three local McDonald's restaurants now sell high-end specialty coffees to compete with businesses such as Starbucks.
Menu items include cappuccinos, hot chocolate and lattes, and the prices are lower than those of their competitors.
t McDonald's
Iced Mocha
16 oz.
$3.18
with tax
*l just tried to be aggressive and split,"
he said. “At the last minute I said, ‘I think
I'm high enough to try to dunk it.’ So I
tried to throw it down with my left. It was
a good feeling."
Some critics said UNC would struggle
after the loss of TV Lawson, who “feels
better" but is still not expected to play
Wednesday at N.C. State, coach Roy
Williams said Monday.
But the polarizing Thomas has repeat
edly pulled his weight while filling the shoes
of one of the nation’s best point guards.
Finishing Saturday's win against Va. Tech
with six points, seven assists, a career-high
six rebounds and only three turnovers, he
improved his record to 4-1 in games where
he’s played at least 20 minutes this season.
While Thomas obviously hasn’t sup
plied everything —most notably Lawson’s
3-point shooting and roadrunner ability
SEE THOMAS, PAGE 5
online | daihliirheel.com
WASTEWATER N.C. State University
researches water recycling methods.
CAROLINA NORTH Student government
held a forum for students Monday night.
STATE OF THE COUNTY Chatham
officials map out issues facing the area.
www.dailytarheel.com
A UNC survey earlier this year
showed that an overwhelming major
ity of students think their classroom
environments allow for diverse expres
sion of ideas.
Harris said his lecture was about
frequency of birth defects, including
Down syndrome, in mothers older
than 40. He said abortion is the moral
solution for a situation with a high rate
of severe birth defects that can lead to
death.
Forty- to 50 percent of children with
Down syndrome develop congenital
heart defects and are 15 to 20 times
more likely to develop leukemia than
the general population, according
to the Association for Children with
Down Syndrome.
“It’s this terrible decision," Harris
Starbucks
Grande Iced Mocha
16 oz. V '
$3.74 m
with tax imm
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DTH/IAUREN COWART
North Carolina senior point guard Quentin Thomas has raised his level of
play while sophomore starter Ty Lawson has missed time because of injury.
■ water watch
CONSERVATION TIP
Turn off water while
capacity lathering, shampooing,
rooars water uycl shaving and brushing your
camoty teeth. Time your showers
*- J to be as short as possible.
said. “Ninety- percent of people in this
position have an abortion."
But Frame said the decision often
stems from misconceptions about
people with Down syndrome.
“This population can lead a fairly
normal life," she said.
Harris said he hoped his comments
would spark a class discussion on the
issue.
“I believe that ifl’m going to expect
students to express their opinions, I
have to express mine," he said. “This
can't help being partly an opinions
class."
But some students said he didn’t
pause for discussion after making
the statement, and Frame said biol-
SEE PROFESSOR, PAGE 5
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2008
Vocalist
performs
tonight
BY ANDREW DUNN
SENIOR WRITER
Students might not know Chrisette Michele by
name, but the 23-year-old has crooned on tracks with
Jay-Z. Kanve West, and Nas, and was recently nomi
nated for a Grammy award for her first single, released
by Def Jam Recordings.
And today, the up-and-coming R&B singer will
perform at Memorial Hall. Only about half of the
tickets have been sold, and they are expected to be
available up until showtime. Tickets are $8 for stu
dents and S2O for the general public.
“Her voice is very distinct. She’s got a lot of‘pow
erful woman' songs," said Marie Monroe. Carolina
Union Activities Board’s perform
ing arts committee chairwoman,
who is organizing the concert.
“If you listen to mainstream
R&B, you'd know her name."
Monroe also compared
Michele's music to Ella Fitzgerald
and Lauryn Hill.
Michele, also a songwriter and
composer, was nominated for
best R&B vocal performance at
the 2008 Grammy Awards for “If
1 Had My Way," the first single off
her debut album, “I Am."
She is also the first in a sequence
of highly acclaimed artists who
will perform on campus.
R&B singer
Chrisette
Michele was
nominated for
a Grammy.
Swedish-Argentinian folk singer Jose Gonzalez
will play March 3, Iron & Wine are slated to head
line Memorial Hall on April 15, and Monroe said
more names will be announced when contracts are
finalized.
Monroe said she thinks Michele could take the
path of John Legend and Lupe Fiasco, whose careers
took off after playing Memorial Hall in 2004 and
2007, respectively.
“I've known about her because she was up-and
coming," said Monroe, who began pursuing Michele to
perform at UNC in August. “1 was hoping it would be
like we got lucky and got her before she got famous."
CUAB paid $7,500 to Michele for the concert, and
about $15,000 to Memorial Hall for production costs.
Monroe said the price was reasonable for someone
receiving regular play on radio station K 97.5 and
Black Entertainment Television.
Michele was originally slated to perform Feb. 13, but
the concert was moved to today after a conflict devel
oped with her promotions of Nivea skin cream.
Because of the change, ticket buyers were offered
full refunds. Monroe said many were unable to make
the new date because of other engagements.
But some of those who can attend the new date
said they are excited about the opportunity.
“I love Chrisette’s sound. She has a fresh, jazzy old
school blend that has the depth that so many artists
today are lacking," junior Renisha Howard wrote in
an e-mail.
“She encourages people through her lyrics that you
can make it... by staying true to yourself and letting
your talent speak for itself.”
Contact the Arts Editor
at artsdesk@unc.ediL
ATTEND THE SHOW
Time: 8 p.m. today
Location: Memorial Hall
Info: vwvw.imc.edu/cuab/ewnts.shtml
Pedestrian safety
projects in works
BY ZACK TYMAN
STAFF WRITER
Mothers often tell their children to look both ways
when crossing the street and to ride their bikes on
the sidewalk.
But by the time these children reach college, those
rules can fall by the wayside, putting them at a great
er risk for accidents, especially w hen they inhabit a
pedestrian-oriented campus.
“I just usually go. assuming people will stop,*
senior Joshua Card said about the crosswalks for
pedestrians. ‘But people are pretty good about stop
ping for you.”
With about 28,000 students constantly travel
ing about a bustling campus, both pedestrian and
bike safety are critical issues for those maneuvering
around UNC.
Jill Coleman, landscape architect for Facilities
SEE PEDESTRIANS, PAGE S
this day in history
FEB. 19.1965...
A UNC football player goes to a
mock trial sponsored by Phi Alpha
Delta after going through a fake
arrest for spying on Elizabeth
Taylor through her dorm window..
weather
O Sunny
H 55, L 32
index
police log 2
calendar 2
sports 7
games 7
opinion 8