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Founded February 23, 1W3
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The election returns -have all finally trickled in,
showing that Democrats have failed in their valiant
attempt to elect a "Republican-prooF Congress.
"It's too bad we couldn't have gotten rid of those
pesky Republicans," said one Democrat. "Then there
wouldn't have been any need to vote on anything. The
Democratic leadership could have decided all the
issues, and we could have taken our salaries and gone
home, to relax and fish."
As it is, Democrats are glumly delaying their take
over until 1976 in the wake of unexpected Republican
victories in almost one-third of the districts of the U.S.
House.
Over in the Senate, Democrats were despairing over
the fact that they will have to deal with an even higher
percentage of Republicans than in the House.
MI don't see how we can ever establish a stranglehold
on the country and destroy all chances for world peace
with 38 Republicans still in the Senate," said one
member of the potential Democratic dictatorship.
In North Carolina, Democrats came closest to
victory in that state's senate, where only one
Republican, Donald R. Kincaid of Lenoir, survives.
N.C. Democrats were gleeful over the results,
predicting little difficulty in closing off any attempted
Republican filibusters.
Even though the' N.C. Senate is not completely
Republican-proof, some Democrats feel it will actually
Equality and insfflutionial racism
Rorin Piatt's recent article on the
"morality" of discrimination is a gross
oversimplification of the real issues
involving affirmative action programs
and whether such programs perpetuate
reverse" discrimination. " Furthermore;
Piatt's views are dangerous to our
society because, if they were
implemented, they would cause
increased racial stratification and
antagonism in the United States.
Piatt's, views on reverse
discrimination are overly simplistic
because he fallaciously interprets the
equal protection clause of the
fourteenth amendment as prohibiting
the consideration of race as one factor in
evaluating minority applicants for jobs
and school admission. He contends that
racial quotas "are not only immoral, but
alien to the American tradition of equal
justice for all."
Piatt has very little basis on which he
can validly make this statement. Almost
without exception, recent Supreme
Court rulings state that race can and
must be considered as a neutralizing
factor to help eliminate institutional
racism and socio-economic deprivation.
The following are relevant court rulings
involving the use of race as one criterion
to evaluate minority applicants to
various institutions:
In Griggs v. Duke Power Co., the
Supreme Court ruled that institutions
must, in some way, compensate for the
inherent racial bias in standardized tests
if such tests are the sole criterion for
accepting or rejecting a minority'
applicant. The Court ruled similarly in
Gregory v. Litton Systems, Inc. and in
Johnson v. Pike Corp.
In Swann. v. Charlotte
Mecklenburg Board oj Education, the
Supreme Court found that "intentional,
official consideration of race is
permissible when necessary to remedy.
past discrimination and to assure equal
opportunity.
In Louisiana v. United States, the
Supreme Court ruled that remedial
action is needed "which will so far as
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effects of the past.
In Norwalk Care v. Norwalk
Redevelopment Agency, the Second
Circuit Court ruled that "classification
The
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Daily
S2n JVcr Of Editorial Freedom
the opinion of the editors. Letters &nd columns represent the opinions of
wMIh nine wnedl
Tom
by race... where it is drawn for the
achieving of equality will be allowed.
The court has even gone as far as
requiring the implementation of quota
systems to alleviate de facto segregation:
'"IfrAsSo'Ctated Genetal Contractors
v. Alshuler. the Supreme Court ruled
that Massachusetts construction
companies must hire, in certain cases,
minority persons until such people
comprise 20 per cent of the working
force in all job categories to remedy
prima Jacie racial discrimination.
In United States v. Montgomery
County Board oj Education, the
Supreme Court ruled that the school
board must employ two black teachers
for every twelve white teachers presently
teaching in the county public schools.
It is clear, I think, that the American
judicial interpretation of racial justice
justifies the consideration of race as one
possible criterion for minority job and
school applicants. Furthermore, it is
illegal for such institutions to ignore an
applicant's race, if his race, due to no
fault of his own, may have harmed his
chances of meeting specific mechanical
requirements. Clearly, the courts have
shown that to guarantee equal
protection under the laws to minorities,
compensatory measures must be
implemented.
Not only is Piatt's argument grossly
oversimplified, but it poses a threat to
our society. If Piatt's view were
implemented, we would have perpetual
institutional segregation because
minorities, who were unable to meet
biased job qualifications, would be
unable to work their law into many
professions which require certain
education backgrounds.
There is no question that minority
persons, on the average, score worse
than white students do on standardized
tests. But, according to the Ford
Foundation study entitled Minority
. Access to College, this is not the fault of
the minority test taker but instead is the
fault of the tests, which were shown to
be culturally discriminatory.
In realistic terms, Piatt's system of
racial nonconsideration is dangerous
because it would make it extremely
difficult, say, for minority students to
enter medical and law school, due not to
Jim Cooper, Greg Turosak
Editors
Kevin McCarthy, Managing Editor
Barbara Holtzmsn, Associate Editor
Gsry Fulton, Associate Editor
Joel Drinktey, News Editor
Harriet Sugar, Features Editor
Elliott Wernock, Sports Editor
Martha Stevens, Head Photographer
Jim Grirnsley, Night Editor
Friday, November 8, 1974
. . Jl
be better that way. x
If we have one Republican, then we also have a
convenient scapegoat for anything that goes wrong,"
said a typically inexperienced N.C. senator-elect.
However, other N.C. Democrats were openly
worried about possible , Republican propaganda
advantages.
"In 1976, any Republican candidate can claim his
party was totally unified in the state senate and showed
a consistent party-line vote," predicted one politico.
The one Republican in the senate will also gain
because there cannot possibly be a split in the party
caucus, and there is bound to be no disagreement over
who should be minority leader and minority whip.
"1 suppose they'll have a cage down there to put me
in so they can throw peanuts at me and show off,"
Kincaid was heard to say.
Some Democrats say this can be a good source of
diversion. "Who really wants to read bills and listen to
speeches," said one newcomer, "when we can just sit
there and make fun of a Republican?"
But despite a near-victory in North Carolina,
Democrats across the country are still generally
saddened.
Their mournful cry can be heard across the land:
"Our dream of the one-party system is gone with the
wind."
Rice
the students' lack of intelligence but due
instead to institutional racism in the
subtle form of standardized tests. Such
persons would be denied equal
protection under the laws. Their
increased inability to "make it in white
society would most likely lead to great
racial antagonism and would lessen our
chance of attaining a well-integrated
society.
Rorin Piatt is wrong in believing that
affirmative action programs have been
instituted primarily to help minorities at
the expense of the majority. In reality,
affirmative action programs try to
compensate for existing institutional
Letters to
carftt Feolace
To the editors:
Re your latest edition of Variation: In
what was an otherwise well-written article,
Joyce Fitzpatrick has- severely
misrepresented the true ideal of southern
heritage.
As a native-born Southerner, 1 must take
exception to the following statement:
To many Southerners, Scarlett and Rhett
are... as much a part of their heritage as
grits and hush-puppies ..." i
In my opinion, the fictional characters in
Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind
can never attain the place of grits and hush
puppies in a true Southerner's heart.
Edwin H. Blackwell
312 Lewis
Host for Devlin
bothered reader
To the editors:
I have never before submitted a letter to
the D7H. but I wonder if you would be kind
enough to insert a brief note that pertains to
the Carolina Forum performance of
Monday evening Oct. 28. I heard the
speaker, Miss Bernadette Devlin, give an
enlightening speech on the trials and
tribulations of Northern Ireland and came
away concluding that she is a real crusader
for her people.
One thing that perturbed me, however,
was the fact that her host preceded her on the
stage and appeared to read his introduction
in a perfunctory manner so that it was hardly
audible. Perhaps this was due to the
acoustical irregularities in the hall.
More than that was the fact that the host
then left the stage immediately and did not
even grant the speaker the courtesy that one
Reverse bias is
The myth of reverse discrimination is
one of the last philosophical mainstays
of the die-hard racist As in the past, the
oppressor is attempting to make the
victim the criminal by asserting that any
effort to bring about an equitable order
is discriminating against whites.
Understandably, the exploitative class,
i.e. white middle-class males, is on the
defensive because the power base from
which it oppresses may be undermined.
In this context governmental quotas
are the instrument superficially being
used to bring about a minimal degree of
equity. However, this class should not
feel threatened to a great degree because
the government is going just far enough
so as not to alter any power
relationships which exist, only far
enough to pacify (the government
accepted the Desegregation Plan farce.)
By virtue of the fact that blacks have
always been denied the right to equal
opportunity, some steps must be taken
to remedy this situation. And since it is
quite obvious that those who wield the
power aren't going to be charitable
enough to act humane, governmental
pressures are a necessity
To assert that to hire blacks to fulfill
these quotas in a university will cause
the diminution of that university's
academic stature is intrinsic nonsense.
Any black who is hired in a faculty,
staff, or administrative position will
always -have his academic integrity
called into question by his colleagues.
This is due to the fact that many whites
still adhere to the faulty illusion that
blacks are innately inferior and whites
innately superior.
In terms of admission quotas, black
students must be admitted to this
university to receive the type of
racism which prevents minorities from
competing with whites on an equal
basis. "What we desire, Justice
Douglas states, "is not the consideration
of a person's race but the neutralization
of race as a criterion in objectively
considering the qualifications of white
and minority applicants alike. Such
desires, as I see them, are moral ones
which would produce a society much
more desirable than the segregated one
advocated by Rorin Piatt.
Tom Rice is a junior
economics geography major from
Silver Springs, Md.
the editors
would normally expect for the questions.
Forgive me if I suggest that we all have
something to learn about manners (maybe
they belong to the eighteenth century); and
there are few things that are more important
than to learn.
If this b helpful, I shall be gratified; and, if
it is not, then I apologize for the thought.
Benjamin Swalin
Chapel Hill
gFntt
'
7 y
education they wish if the university is
dedicated to achieving its educational
purpose. Those proponents of black
academic inferiority used the WMCCT
(White Middle Class Cultural Test),
better known as the SAT, to buttress
their morbid myth. It is utterly absurd to
believe blacks should, on the average,
do much better than whites on a
discriminatory cultural test designed for
and based on a culture which is totally
alien to blacks white culture.
This type of test was purposely
designed in such a manner so as to
purport and perpetuate the myth that
blacks aren't up to par academically. As
a consequence, black students have been
refused admission to so-called
outstanding academic institutions. Now
that this conspiracy has been
recognized, by the efforts of black folks
incidentally, the university has no other
alternative but to admit black students,
using a more realistic criteria. This
realistic criteria is not a special
considerations mechanism, but one
based on grades. If you closely examine
the transcripts you'll find them to be
most impressive, "the cream of the crop"
of their high school graduating classes.
The quota system is remiss once black
students are in the university however.
Doug
or kin
w
who's competin
To have a goal is considered a good thing. It gives one purpose and motivation.
People will go to various lengths to achieve their goals, depending on the
individual's ability to work and sacrifice for that ultimate end, and on how much the
individual really wants to succeed. While most people have some sort of general
goals, some have very specific ones so important to them that they will dedicate
tremendous amounts of time and energy to achieve them.
Athletics are a concrete example of the individual's desire to set a goal for himself
and to reach it. When asked, most athletes will say that they want to win, either
individually or collectively as part of a team. They may also mention other more
personal goals, such as to score so many points or run a certain time, but their main
ambition is to better their opponents. To do this they must push themselves to the
point of maximum performance. So in a way they are competing against themselves
as well as others.
An athlete will rarely, if ever, say that in a given contest he could not have
performed better. Therfore, while he is outwardly trying to better an opponent, he is
inwardly trying to improve upon his own past performances. He would like to
accomplish both. But is there a point where these two goals conflict with each other?
What happens to the athlete when he achieves his inward goal, when he actually
reaches the point where he can push himself no harder, when he realizes his limit?
And what if the achievement of this goal is not enough to insure success in the first
aspect, to better the opponent, to win?
At this point there is a conflict that will be resolved in one of two ways. The athlete
can abandon his first goal and admit that his limit is lower than his opponent's, in
which case he will revise his goal to one more realistic. Or he can refuse to accept the
fact that he has been bettered. In this case he will continue to drive himself until he
passes his limit. Once past that point, his mind and body are in direct conflict. In
such an instance there can only be one outcome. The body will dominate the mind.
It will no longer act to hurt itself, but will retreat into its defense mechanisms:
nausea, collapse, shock. The mind will not be able to accept this. Its reaction will be
incoherence, confusion, blackout.
David Hamilton of the UNC cross country team is an example of what can
happen when one's body exceeds its limitations of a given day. Hamilton, who has
achieved great success through hard work and determination, drove himself to that
point in the ACC cross country championship race. After five miles he was running '
an incredible race, due more to desire than to conditioning and talent. Then, with
less than a mile to the finish, he collapsed, a victim of heat prostration. After several
minutes he got up, and, driven by his subconscious mind, finished the race, well
after anyone else. He cannot now remember doing so. Neither can he remember his
incoherent speech and erratic behavior immediately after the race. He was treated in
the hospital for several hours, and was later released.
We live in a goal oriented society. Perhaps this is why our society has achieved so
much success in certain areas, such as material achievement. Ours is a wealthy
nation, although this may not be evident to everyone. We also live in a nation of
ulcers, neuroses, alcoholism and migraine headaches. People who suffer from these
symptoms have, in one way or another, exceeded their limiations. When a goal
becomes so important that its achievement is valued above one's mental or physical
well-being, that goal ceases to be worth its price of accomplishment. To pay that
price anyway is nothing less than to be cheated.
Doug Clark is a sophomore journalism major from Hickory and a member of the
cross country team.
THE RITES OF VINTESt
myth
a
There is no governmental organ to
monitor the university to insure that the
needs of black students are addressed.
This b the vacuum the BSM fills. There
is a need for a BSM to fulfill the cultural,
social and political needs since the
university relates from a white middle
class perspective. Consequently, one
cannot justifiably label the BSM as
being discriminatory since it is bent on
averting and combating discrimination,
be it institutional or individual
But it is understandable that this
myth runs rampant, not only on this
campus, but in society as well. White
racists must structure some nonsensical
legal rationale to keep blacks out of a
school they help finance. (Blacks are
taxpayers, you know). The annals of
black-white relations reveal this trend
(remember Jim Crow), but these same
annals also reveal the struggle black
people waged to overcome this
perverted obsession. And this struggle
will continue until the university, and
any other societal institution, is purged
of those who seek to further oppress and
exploit us.
Algenon Marbley
Algenon Marbley, BSM chairman, is
a junior political science major.
Clark
for
goals