Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Dec. 14, 1967, edition 1 / Page 2
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I nr 1 ! i 4 i J i J Fa ire 2 THE DAILY TAR HEEL, Thurs Jay, December 14, 1557 Letters To The Editor axig fygfrm Professor Questions Adam's Conclusions 75 Years of Editorial Freedom ftlhi ik Bill Amlong, Editor Don Walton, Business Manager Women's Closing Honrs: Why They're Important? The Women's Residence Council has finally gotten a report from one of its committees suggesting the abolition of dormitory closing hours for seniors or women 21 or older next year. That's nice. Unfortunately, it is also what is commonly known as "too little, too late." Although it is commendable that WRC has finally come around far enough into the 20th Century to even entertain the idea of senior women not having any , closing hours, it is at the same time lamen table that the proposed revision is not both broader and sooner. Broader, because WRC should eliminate closing hours not only for seniors, but for all upperclassmen (as the University of North Carolina at Greensboro did last week through its student legislature.) Sooner because there is simply no rationale for putting this off un til next year, especially when a magnetic card-key system could be installed by early next semester. After all, nearly a full 67 years of the 20th Century have already passed by without Carolina's women's rulesV getting in step with it. .. ' . --- THERE AUE ARG UMENTS j against "abolishing '"closing'' hours,""'' even for seniors, however. They were listed by opponents of the rules change at Tuesday's WRC meeting. One of the staunchest opponents the measure was Miss Carol Ann Peters, the representative from the Kappa Delta Sorority house, who asked: "But what would women be without the double standard?. . . "Just suppose no closing hours was extended all the way to the bottom (to include freshmen)?," she asked. "How would this affect girls without (the experience of) closing hours behind them? How would this affect their femininity?" The answer to these questions would seem to have already been given when suffrage was ex tended to the fairer sex lo those many years ago. Since then, a great many women have escaped, the wife-an d-mother-period shackles to become rather worthwhile contributors to the en tire human race while re maining ladies. If Miss Peters and her com-rades-in-viewpoint are so con cerned with protecting the moonlight-and-white-lace concept of Southern femininity, why aren't they back on the plantation, sitting at their mothers' knees and learn ing how to better bake and sew? A SECOND ARGUMENT against abolishing closing hours is that it will destroy what is lovingly called "dorm spirit." The reasoning behind this is that girls will feel closer and 'more unified if they are all herded into the dorm together at the magically appointed hour, instead of being allowed to come and go as they please. There is strong logic behind ' this. It is a tried and true method, really just ask any sheep herder, and he'll tell you how much easier it is to handle a flock of little white woolies if they're all kept together. Or ask any chain gang "boss"- how much better for morale it is if prisoners take their exercise periods together, instead o f separately. Don Campbell, Associate Editor Lytt Stamps, Managing Editor Hunter George, News Editor Brant Wanslev. Advertisma Manager The main hang-up about ap plying this argument to support a closing hours policy, however, is that Carolina coeds are sup posedly neither sheep nor prisoners. In short, "dorm spirit" should be made of stronger stuff than en-forced-togetherness. THERE ARE OTHER arguments posted against abolishing closing hours, too, of course. One of the main ones is that security would be greatly ham pered. This was imdermined, however, by the WRC Senior Hours Committee's report which recom mended a magnetic card-key system inexpensive, safe and easy-to-come-by. AND SO GO "the arguments against abolishing closing hours for seniors and, indeed, for abolishing them for the rest of the upper class coeds here, too. Obviously, the rules changes op ponents say, such a radical move would destroy the Carolina Coed's feminity, completely wreck "dorm spirit," make every woman on this campus subject to pre-dawn at tacks by card-key wielding in vaders and undermine the Honor System. r - I i . . ?-7Z:?7 But would it really, now?5 7 Clay Bill: Round 2 Student Legislature gets &: :: another chance tonight to vote : S on a bill appropriating money 3 ijji for the recruitment of Negroes $ for this university. S : A similar bill for a :: :$ larger appropriation was g; defeated by Legislature last 5 month. The second bill calls g g for $640 a reduction o f g 8 $180. . It is a tribute to Phil Clay and the Carolina Talent ?: V Search that a second bill has :$ made it to the floor of : v. X 8 Legislature. :$ Opposition to the first bill, i $: and again, the promised op- jij: g position to the pending bill j : falls into two categories: RECRUITING NEGROES ijij is not the responsibility of : 6 students; : IT COSTS too much, & anyway. 8 ': But those excuses are hard jij: to support. In the first place, g g recruitment of Negroes is the 8 g responsibility of students if j S they want to make it their ijij S responsibility. i Secondly, the case for Stu- dent Legislature's inability to g ijij Pay fr the recruitment 3 sounds a little weak after :S v. - X" x Legislature saw fit to ap- S : propriate $2500 for the J i;i: Carolina Greek, of which only g g two issues have been i distributed, at least where the i iji: students could find them. 8 We would suggest that jS ijij enough has been said about x : the recruitment bill, and that now is the time, for it to be S jij: passed. - - j i;j Its passage would go a long i iiji way in swelling the "ac- ijij jij complisliments" column of jij! Student Legislature, a column -jij jij; that presently doesn't have jijj ji; much on Mother Hubbard's iv" j cupboard. 8 To The Editor: One must be graiefal for Professor Adams' letter giving his views on the im plications of the "Statement in support of students conscientiously refusing -military service" because of its contribution to th? dialogue concerning our draft laws. Eut one can surely question his implied con clusion that the signers are lacking in logic and in the awareness of a permanent tension between moral con science and constituted authority. At least he does net accuse us of bein radical or subversive which, however might be the unfortunate conclusion of those people who read his letter without also reading the statement. Professor Adams argument appears to be based on his reaction to the fust sentence of the statement. One even feels that the first sentence was the last to be approached with a completely open mind because the rest cf the statement says cr implies what Professor Adams admits. The statement begins with the sentence, "We are shocked and dismayed that young men of conscience must either serve in a war they believe is unjust or face jail." Adams apparently has seized on only one of the definitions of the verb, to shock: "to strike with surprise." With s4 I'm LaXrf-t VoWtr, campus polVccx. uoged purpose 'tz s mt mc' lma1eT;nV4e 5We. ' m l ft m Draft I By DICK LEVY Twice last week students demonstrated in Raleigh against the draft. Most were there eitiier because they object to the war in Viet Nam or because they object to the draft in principle. Today and tomorrow I shall attempt to analyze the validity of these ob jections. On Saturday my column will propose an alternative to the present system. The first group's views seem more legitimate than those of the second. Bear ing in mind the Nurnburg Convention, which placed (perhaps unrealistically) in dividual responsibility upon a nation's citizens for the actions of their govern ment, these students' consciences rebel against a war that may be, or seems to them, immoral. ,We can disagree on several grounds. Foremost is the fear tf allowing 200,000,000 Americans to serve as Chiefs of State, determining inexpertly the Tightness of American foreign policy. Editorial Based On Misinformation To The Editor: .With respect to the editorial in the Decamber 8th DTH, entitled "Victory Village Grocery: How Can They Get One?", thank you for your interest in the situation of Village residents. However, the editorial seems to have been based on a certain amount of misinformation. I presume that your references to the Village -were meant to apply only to Vic tory Village proper, as it is hard to see how anyone could consider the brick apartments of Odum Village as "slum type housing". But it is cot appropriate to treat Victory Village -as an independent entity. The Odum-Victory Village Board of Aldermen represents the entire Village, and as such, is primarily con cerned with the needs of the Village as a whole. Furthermore, Victory Village is in the process of being torn down to make room for the expansion of N.C. Memorial Hospital. The Future of the Village lies with Odum Village and with such new housing units as the University will some day guild. Consequently it is scmevvhat pointless to -make a great deal of the ad mittedly inadequate facilities of V;etory this definition, he can then argue mat in? signers, surprised by jail texns for those who break the law, are unaware cf the? necessity for-respect. cf constituted law and authority". But none of the signers that ! know is the least surprised that the young men involved face jail terms. The theme of the statement ecomes expHcil ' in the fourth paragraph: "We shall work to change a law that is neither com patible with individual conscience nor shows sufficient respect for it." Professor Adams is very close to the intent of the complete statement when he writes I have nothing but admiration for the young man who goes to jail rather than fight in order to call the society's at tention to what he believes to be the in justice of the war. This, it seams to me, is just as proper as violating a law in order to get a court case to test the con stitutionality of the law." But then Mr. Adams shows his dependence on bis chosen definition of "to shock" by saying "but in either case one must be prepared to accept the penalty under the law. No one can with reason expect the law or its penalty to be withheld from him because of his personal moral judgments." But the signers do accept the penalty under the present law, and no one is asking for Mil s YexV:-oV'' 4 ma-k some rrte.ite.nf" cry T.V. 2 5tM The Student Speaks Practical Necessity Such a policy might undermind our democratic values 'and institutions, which provide for proper redress through the election process. Unfortunately, raw power is at the center of international politics. The rest of the world does not yet wrestle with the agonies suffered by an American con science which demands a higher standard of behavior and morality. As Dr. Andrew Scott, points out in THE REVOLUTION IN STATESCRAFT, the American dilemma consists of having developed two contradictory strands of policy: "the use of power and the abhor rence of power." living in a world of pragmatism forces actions at once necessary and despicable. Foreign policy and the possession of immense power thus have a great effect on our national behavior. Yet one cannot condemn those whose consciences lead thorn, to oppose, within our democratic framework, actions of government. Such vigilance may someday be proved wrong. But then, it may also save our national Village. It is on the way out, .and might have departed the scene before now had not so many students preferred the cheap rents on the old Village units. As to the comments on a possible laundromat and grocery store for the Village, the University presently has plans to build a service building in the Village which will contain a laundromat, a snack area, and other facilities not yet determined. The Board of Aldermen has consulted with the Planning Office of the University with regard to the nature and cotents of the proposed building, and oae of the suggestions under consideration was for a small pick-up store. However, it is not clear from the results of a recent survey of all the Village residents, taken by the Board of Aldermen, that there would be sufficient interest among Villagers to justify such a store. However this may turn cut, it does seem that the DTH might have consulted with the pro per University officials, or at least spoken to someone on the Village Board of Aldermen to determine just what is being done to remedy the lack of facilities in the Village prior to editorializing on the subject. exMin-tios. One cf tb2 involved students talkd to me bererc gxng to Washington, " and k was obvious that he was con templating some sort cf civil disobe dience wi:h the full knowledge that he would suffer the consequences. To my mind he was accepting the line cf action which Mr. Adams says he ad miresgoing to jail "to call society's at- tenticn to what he believes to be the in-"" justice of the war." Now if we look at another possible definition of "to shock," namely to strike with disgust," then the first sentence becomes part of an introduction to a rather logical statement cf moral in dignation. If the statement is read in this light, there is noting to be found of disrespect for law and authority. There is most definitely dissatisfaction with the law as it now stands and a determination to "work to change" the law. I consider the statement moderate, hopeful, and pragmatic. Why do we believe that there should be provisions for conscientious objection to a "particular war as unjust, illegal, or in humane"? In my own case because I stress the social value of individual con science and doubt the military value of a soldier who believes in the depths of his m Um I I m a) t.C t, L-teUJ III i i ii ii ti u .. i i a i ii i tvy fin at l n i dlwftvj "tWe U(VJC - m ' m d.ets Co ere m - k&Ksm X. integrity. And it must never, be forgotten that "honor", used so often today in a nar tional sense, is ah intensely personal con cept. Still," to demonstrate against the draft of an arm of foreign policy is to confuse the practical considerations of nationhood with the moral responsibilities felt by each citizen. Let those who feel so strongly about the war remember the necessities of a conscription army and national security, internal and external. Let them focus their attentions on the war, and then enlist in respect for not having been able by dissent to pursuade the majority to alter our policy. Or, if they feel they can not do this, let them accept the con sequences of their refusal to be in ducted. Bear in mind that the draft is based x upon practical necessities, not upon ideology. As such, protest against it because of objection to Viet Nam is misdirected. Tomorrow: The case for the draft One final observation. The Village Board cf Aldermen elected this Fall has been concerned with the needs of Village residents cn many levels. We have con sulted with the Planning Office on the new service facility, and we are presently working to obtain more sidewalks and more playground space. We have en deavored, through considerable revisions cf the Beard's Corstitutioa to improve the representative character of the Board. We have conducted a survey of all iVillage residents to determine needs, in terests and the exact composition of Village families. We are working to im prove the already excellent Village Day Care Center, and we are attempting to overcome the lack cf ccrnmunicatlon among Village residents. In summary, if you want to sound the cry for Village causes, we will greatly appreciate your help. Only, try checking with those whose elected task it is to prosecute trose causes, with vigah! Yours sincerely, R. Robert Basbam, Jr., Chairman, Odom-Vietory Village Board of Aldermen. 1 ? ' is that his country's cause is LTr illegal, or inhumane. - . What has Mr. Adams accarr.plishoi b overlooking the moderate tor.e of whole statement and err.phis-g logical analysis cf the first ser.er.ce?V ce his misreading might kaj superficial reader to think that he is si cusing 13 of disrespect towards lawful authority of our country, rr.v c-,r: view is that he has accvmpUshed r'-.tzS constructive. I regret very much that there many peop'e in Chapel Hill, indui leaders in the University, who have s! cepted the subversive interpretav without bothering to read the mter.e Scme of these people have introduced ti extraneous question of wheiher tb signers have served in the anr.;j forces as if only veterans had the abili ty, right, or duty to be concerned ni:ra::y with the country's international act.v;:. cr as if the signers were prubib!y cowardly to serve their courxry. Ironically I would probab.y not have signed the statement nor have written this letter of protest if I had not served in the army, because it was only -as an io fantry lieutenant that I became a-Aare d the pervasive timorousness of humaa beings. I was so disgusted , with the cowardly junior officers around me who never gave the battalion or regimental commander any unwelcome advice that I made a pledge that for the rest of my lie I would give voice to my conscience. This h?.s not proved to be a very practical pledge, but I am not about to forsake it, and I shall ever be grateful to the anr.y for leading me to it. The statement is very close to cny position when i: quotes from Robert Lowell: "I woufid not un dertake to advise any young man to resist the draft that's too tennb'.e a responsibility. But if he did. I would feel a coward if I didn't support him." Yours sincerely, Paul J. Pinckney Assistant Professor Department of History Writer Disagrees With Miss Hill To The Editor:!. :-ii.ty$rL C f - I would like to comment en the letter by Katy Hill which appeared in the December 8th DTH under the title "They Refuse What Comrades Face Up To." Miss Hill feels' that the "young; men who .refuse induction Tail. ace. up', to their responsibility . as 'American, citizens." Presumably Miss Hill believes that it is the responsibility of American citizens to complacently accept and fight in avar they do . not , believe in. I contend" that these young men; are accepting their responsibility, the responsibility to ex ercise the right of dissent. Many cf these men are students who could obtain deferments, but their consciences will cot allow them to support the war and the draft by accepting the Selective Service System's reward for their silence. Miss Hill goes on to argue that these protestors are cowards. I contend that it takes some courage to face a prison sentence and the stigma that goes along with it. Then she says that she is no more in favor of the war than the next person, yet she is opposed to someono registering dissent in a meaningful and possibly ef fec'r.e '.vay. These people &re calling at tention to the injustice of the draft in a way no acad-oaic discussion can; they are 'risking a great deal for their beliefs, yet Miss Hill wishes to repress their dissent. Next she says that some of her friends have died in Vietnam, and so she wants no one to la'.k to her -about ending ihe war. Miss Hill, it is precisely this reason that the war should be ended now! Too many of our young men have died in this rotten war already. You wish to reject all rational arguments about the war, but too many people are doing that already. Miss Hill ends her letter with a com pletely irrational statement, saying that the Army should give the protestors a haircut, shave, and bath. She generalizes that all or most protestors are dirty, unshaven, and long-haired; this tends to destroy any credence I might have plac ed in her arguments. Finally, I contend that Miss Hill might not feel the way she does if she were eligible to be draf:ei No matter botf many of her friends come back in wooden boxes, she cannot have the experience of being forced to fight and kill in a war she -does not believe in. Michael Searles 171G Granville The Daily Tar Heel is published by the University cf North Carolina Student Publication's Board, daily except Mondays, examinations periods and vacations. Offices are on the second floor of Graham -Memorial. Telephone numbers: editorial, sports, n e ws 9S3-1011; business, cireu latioo. advetising &2M13. Address: Box lOsu, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27-U. Second class postage paid at U.S. Post Offiee in Chapel Hill. N.C. Subscription rates: S9 per year; S5 per semester. be A it i t
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Dec. 14, 1967, edition 1
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