Paqe Six
THE DAILY TAR HEEL
November 22, 1970
Letters To The Editor
attg far tl
.mmeelt Uedler Jb ir
Opinions of The Daily Tar Heel are expressed on its editorial page. All
unsigned editorials are the opinions of the editor and the staff. Letters and
columns represent only the opinions of the individual contributors.
abMs
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Tom Gooding,
Awards Of The Week
Heisman Trophy Candidate of
The Week-UNC tailback Don
McCauley who rolled up 279 yards
against Duke Saturday, scored five
touchdowns and set some 20 team,
conference and national records in
his last game in Kenan Stadium.
.
Understatement Of The
Week To John Sebastian who said
Carmichael Auditorium sounded
like "an institutional bathroom,"
and then proceeded to play the best
"institutional bathroom" music
we've ever heard.
The Immaculate Conception Of
The Week-To Gig Young's ex-wife
who claims that Young is the father
of her five-year-old child. Young
had a vasectomy in 1938.
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78 Years of Editorial Freedom
Tom Gooding, Editor
Rod Waldorf Managing Ed.
Mike Pamell News Editor
Rick Gray Associate Ed.
Harry Bryan Associate Ed.
Chris Cobbs Sports Editor
Frank Parrish Feature Editor
Ken Ripley National News Ed.
Terry Cheek Night Editor
Doug Jewell Business Mgr.
Frank Stewart . . '. . '. '. . . Adv. Mgr.
Dane Hartgrove
The Moth
Before all else there was the darkened
room. The room was such that it existed
in and of itself; it led a solitary existence
as a non-functional part of a huge
building filled with light and the laughter
of happy people.
One day someone opened the door
and entered the room. The intruder
carried a lighted candle, which was set on
a table in the very center of the room.
Having placed the candle on the table, the
intruder departed, leaving the room to its
solitude.
The candle continued to burn, and its
glow lit up an area that had never been
exposed to the warmth and cheeriness of
a pure, open flame.
At length, the light attracted the
attention of a moth that had somehow
found its way into the room. Dazzled by
the flame, the little creature flitted and
dove about its new discovery.
The flame responded gaily to its
Ken Ripley
om Foods Clheirclk Mnnst Pirov
"My religion is fine, thank you." one
boy said on campus a few weeks ago.
"And I don't need the church to mess it
up.
His sentiment isn't all that alarming by
itself to those active in the institutional
church. But the church in the last few
years has had every reason to be alarmed.
His feeling is widespread among students,
and in many cases with great
justification.
In a recent "Campus Opinion" poll
published recently, the institutional
church was "out" or fading for 65 of all
students interviewed. A full 35.8 of
these students never or almost never
attended church. Sobering results for an
institution whose largest ministry seems
to confine itself to Sunday mornings.
More sobering, and indicative of
student feelings on campus, were the
results of another question posed by the
Editor
Shop Early, Shop Often Award
Of The Week To the beautiful city
of Raleigh which this year has
gotten so excited about Christmas
that they can't even wait until
Thanksgiving to hold their
Christmas parade. The parade is
scheduled for iMonday.
Failure To Stave Off An
Opponent's Surge Of The Wreek To
former student legislator and
Conservative Party executive Joe
Beard who said after Tuesday's
elections, 'The first two ballots in
Craige were cast for me.
Unfortunately, there were thirty or
forty other ballots cast."
Zealous Policeman Of The
Week The Chapel Hill cop who,
while investigating the theft of a
painting from the Union lobby,
said, "We'll be glad to take it (the
glass cover) and take some prints
off it. And, who knows? Maybe
someday something will turn up."
Sports Event Of The Coming
Week The World Series of
Bombing to be held in Illinois next
week. Among the participants will
be two bombers from
Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base in
Goldsboro.
Evading The Question Award Of
The Week To Consolidated
University President William C.
Friday who, when questioned
about rumors that he has been
offered the job of president of
Illinois University, replied, "Wasn't
that a great football game?"
And
The
newtound aamirer. ine minute
disturbances of the air caused by the
beating of the moth's wings made the
open flame nod and dance, as though
bidding welcome to a friend.
The dancing of the flame further
excited the moth, which increased in
intensity the dips and turns it made in
paying its respects to the brilliance of the
light. So they continued, and the
dramatic nature of the scene heightened
as the movements of the two lovers
become wilder and more daring.
But contemplation of the purity and
brilliance of the flame at length grew
boring for the moth. With a last fluttering
of its wings as it soared above the warm
flame, the moth left the circle of light
and returned to more familiar pursuits.
The flame at first could not decide
what to make of its dismissal by the
moth. It continued to flicker for some
time in hope of luring back to the
pollsters: "Overall, would you say that
the churches do or do not have appeal for
young people today?"
An overwhelming 77.5 said no, the
church is definitely not appealing. A
similar result was noted two years ago
here at UNC by an Episcopal committee
on chaplaincies -formed when two
Episcopal chaplains were removed by
their bishop. The committee, headed by
co-chairmen Ruel Tyson and George
Penick, said, "Students are less and less
inclined to identify their quests for
meaning with participation in structured
programs with regular meetings."
Nationally, the institutional church
has been suffering increasing slippage and
decline. In separate efforts released in the
last two years, the church has lost not
only membership but money. Almost all
major denominations noted actual
decreases in membership-not just the
The old establishment is proving itself
unrelenting in its efforts to put an end to
The New Establishment. Following is the
latest charge levelled against the N.E. by
the State ABC Board brought about
through the initiative of Orange County
authorities:
This boai.: has information
indicating that you violated the
State Alcoholic Beverage Control
laws andor regualtions
by: Failing to purchase and keep
posted in your retail licenses
premise each form of license as
required by law on or about August
21, 1970, in violation of G.S.
18-88.
...You- are hereby given notice to
appear before the Hearing Officer
of the State Board of Alcoholic
Control on Wednesday, Nov. 25,
1970, ... to show cause why your
beer permit should not be revoked
or suspended.
What the N.E. is really guilty of here is
what quite a number of bars in Chapel
Hill have been guilty of over the years;
tardiness in procuring certain licenses (in
this case the county license). -
The reason this offense is committed
rather regularly is that it is not in the
least serious or has not been previous to
the present charge against the N.E. .
The standard procedure for dealing
with those guilty of obtaining their
federal, state, county or town licenses
late has been to assess a penalty against
them of five per cent of the cost of the
license for each month late. Thus one
who gets a license costing $25 three
months late will have to pay an extra 1 5
of that cost -or $3.75. Big deal! It's no
wonder that so many think so little about
getting their license late.
But the N.E. should have known
better. It just recently came off of a
30-day suspension of its beer permit for a
violation which every thirsty soul in- town
knows half the local bars are guilty of
committing-employees drinking on the
job. There is one particular bar in town
where the ownermanager himself has
been conspicuously drinking on the job
for over 20 years.
Certainly no violation committed by
the N.E. can be excused by pointing to
violations committed by other bars that
go unprosecuted.
' But we do have a right to raise the
question as to why the N.E. r is being
singled out for selective., enforcement of
the law by the authorities especially so,
considering the fact that there has not
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warmth its wayward lover. ;..-.n
But the moth had already forgotten
the flame, and had settled back into the
way of life it had known before; the
advent of the brilliant thing. o
Finally, the flame ceased to flicker.
Instead, it grew taller and brighter than
ever, until its light illuminated the
entirety of the dark, lifeless room.
But nothing happened. Nothing
changed in the room, and the warmth and
brilliance of the candle were reflected in
no other object.
The flame began to flicker, as though
suffering from a chill. At last, overcome
by the hopelessness of it all, it gave a last
convulsive shudder and went out. r
The glowing wick remained for a while
to add an infinitesimal warmth to the
nearly darkened room, which did
nothing, as always. Then that too
disappeared, and the room was left with
the empty blackness of nothing.
r I . -
name
previous slowing rate or growth. Recently
the National Council of Churches
reported a slippage in "per capita giving"
to denominations, if not (when they get
their statistics straight) an actual decline
over the past three years.
The church is forced to ask itself
"Why?" And the puzzle for the
institution increases with another
significant conclusion reported in the
"Campus Opinion" poll.
Students, whatever their beliefs, are
religious. When asked, "How strong
would you say your own religious beliefs
are?" almost .half of those surveyed
expressed a strong feeling about their
religious beliefs. A huge 78.2 overall
had somewhat "strong" religious beliefs,
while less than one in five students said
their beliefs were "not at all strong."
Most of us are religious. The questions
of God, man, and how best to live are as
been a single serious incident of disorder
to occur there since its opening over a
year ago.
Of course, those who know about the
N.E., about its flagrant policy of giving
the students a fair deal (Le., its highly
competitive low prices and absence of
cover charge for entertainment) in a town
generally committed to their economic
exploitation, these people would have
one believe that they know what is
ultimately behind the N.E.'s troubles. But
since we of the New Establishment have
no access to what goes on behind the
false fronts of the old establishment, we
can-for the time being-only conjecture.
As for those who are concerned about
the future of the N.E., they need not
worry. The N.E. has a whole pack of aces
up its sleeve, none of which it has yet
played. Carry on.
David Bratton
312 W.Franklin
ROTG Arguments
Don t Hold Water
To the Editor:
Several letters in Thursday's Tar Heel
gave seemingly good reasons why ROTC
belongs on campus, but none holds water.
A non-academic subject like running a
battleship no more deserves- academic
credit than learning to fix or drive cars
does. Each has its legitimate place, but
that place is not the university.
They speak of the armed forces as a
necessary defense system. Fine. But
historically I speaking, the U.S. military
has rarely acted in a purely defensive
way. They should take into account the
offensive nature of the "defense" system
they are serving.
If they could strip away the glamor of
the military, they might see that learning
technical things about the operation of a
ship is a necessary precursor to the ability
of that ship to make war-to kill.
Perhaps they aren't shouldering guns on a
campus field. But they are being trained
to enter an institution whose only
occupation and only reason for existence
is the preparation for and carrying out of
war.
From the sound of their "courses" it
seems to me that ROTC training is rather
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PART XI
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important as they ever were, if not more
so. But the institutional church is losing
out. Students are just not interested, and
rightly so, in fooling around with
"Churchianity."
Why? There are many different
reasons, but a basic one hinges around
students' belief that the churches just
don't have anything to say.
"Most religion," said a junior at
UCLA, "is being taught as a doctrine, not
as a way of life to be believed in."
The poll cited an answer by a
University of Massachusetts senior as the
most representative.
"The churches don't seem to try to
relate to, or communicate with, younger
people. Showing the relevance of religion
to youths' practical everyday life seems
so important, and yet is being
overlooked."
"I don't want piety," a girl told me
this fall. "I want help."
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effective officer. Instead. sounds Ike
the program is a good lure ir.to mihtary
service-a lure nude up of clean-cu:
activities coated with academe
pretensions.
But this leads to the tries; ironic prt
of their letters-that the service wil:
benefit by having liberally-educated
thinking men. Do they really believe that
in the middle of a battle, when the orders
come down, that it matters to anyone
what they think or if they think at all?
The only reason they are permitted to
think in ROTC classes (if they are) is that
it gives them a sense of freedom which
works only because it can't possible
affect anything. The only response they
will be asked to show in the big time is
strict obedience.
The only thing the military finally
"teaches" is pure discipline. The only
military officer who really thinks about
history in relation to making war is the
President, and I doubt if he knows or
cares what any but the Joint Chiefs think.
How many ROTC officers make it that
far?
Perhaps these writers should make
more direct connections between their
own training program and the Southeast
Asian jungles where military reality is.
Marge Bruckner
Bored Students
Should Drop Out
To the Editor,
Wonder why so many campuses have
unrest? "The Real Root of Student
Disorder?" in November's issue of
Reader's Digest has answers. San
Francisco State College President
Hayakawa's
Many of our college students are bored
with school. You are full of energy and
your parents and society say to put that
into studying. But you want to express
yourself, to do something you feel is
worthwhile now. So naturally you rebel
against the forces which are holding you
down.
To discover what that the outside
world is like and what you need to cope
with it is valuable. I know, having seven
years before entering graduate school to
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The problem of the church is not that
they haven't anything to say it's just
that they're not saying it, or they're not
saying it loud and clear. The "good new s"
of the Gospel is not being fitted to the
street, the business, or the campus. It's all
too often locked in the pulpit or hung in
the theological cupboard. Doctrine that
can't be applied, worked out, or make
sense to how we feel or behave is not only
irrelevant it should be junked.
A lot of churches have been moving,
however slowly, to get out of the pews
and into the real world. Ministers are
trying to speak out more on major social
issues and to push their congregations out
of the "Holy Huddle." But too many
churches are still wrapped up in the status
quo of religiosity and not enough in the
problems, questions, and need of the
people they serve.
The question becomes for the
find out. I know my ej areas and aUo
what I er:oy done nost.
is ou are bored with school, get out.
Find a job. serve your country, or help
other people. Then come back to school
knowing what you wan. You'll be eager
to d:g into vour studies and your grades
w ;H show n. The world wilt be at your
feet for a person of our background,
grades, and maturity .
I ou:se Barret! To .lev
Ilo-A Purefov Road
Carolina Students
'Don t Really Gare
To the I'd nor:
It has come to my attention that
uotxxiy on this campus really cares about
anything. There has been no activity t!m
year on any worthwhile cause. What
happened to the activist students who led
last year's strike? W here is Tommy Bello?
What happened to the students who
participated in the strike?
A lot of students on this campus went
to the beach during the strike. Thev
should have stayed. Who cares about
Dean Anderson. Bernie Oakley or the
foot bail team?
You people are really digging to get
anything worthwhile in your newspaper. I
am willing fo bet a dollar that your top
story today (Sunday if it is run) will be
the football team.
Ar.d what 1 want to know is: who
cares?
Alvin Morris
4216 Garret Road
k The Daily Tar Heel accept f
S letters to the editor rrnMd thmi ?3
- . , r ... ,
W Typed on a 60-fpat KiiS' iirJt;
limited to a maximum of 300
words. All letters must be signed
and the address and phone number
-SJ -
& The paper Reserves the right to fj
edit ' all letters , for libelous
j$ statements and g" taste.
3$ ! Address letters to Associate 3
S Editor, The Dail . r Heel, in cart
j of the Student Union. &
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Bon jour,, you
MOT REAUZe THAT
THE. STUDEAir LEGIS
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chaplains, the community churches, and
the Christians active in the church -not
just one of "why," but "how." How can
the church make sense and say something
to people who are less willing to listen?
What can be done, if anything, to move
away from strangling '-Churchianity" and
prove that Christianity is worth anything?
The church is going to have to prove
that it's still a worthwhile institution. It's
going to have to "paint or get off the
ladder." The church that can't paint is
dead or dying, and it should be laid to
rest. The statistics are unpleasantly clear.
Students have given the institutional
church its warning. And it is the church
that shares the awesome responsibility
Jesus gave the disciples.
"You are the salt of the earth " Christ
said "But if salt has lost its taste, how
shall its saltiness be restored?"
How, indeed?
June
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