9
Letters to the editors
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To the editors:
The Oliphant cartoon in Monday's
DTH with Pope Paul VI and Earl Butz
surrounded by dying Africans was
offensive, dauby and prejudiced. The
caricature implied that the Catholic
Church has been unreasonable and
unresponsive towards the victims of the
famine in the Sub-Sahara region.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In the article accompanying the
cartoon the reader was informed that
Pope Paul VI condemned the American
position that population control is the
only ultimate answer to the problem of
food, and proposed instead increased
agricultural output. Beyond this
statement, the Church has been
anything but inactive: Catholic
assistance, in the form of both money
and personnel, have been sent to the
Sub-Sahara region for some time now;
the sources of this aid span the Church,
from Rome down through to the
diocesan level.
Again, aside from the obvious myopic
view of a broad subject, we were insulted
by the coarse and bigoted opinion
expressed. The choice of a subject for a
political cartoon of this nature should
reflect a clear-headed view of an issue
and not a personal bias.
Bill Nelson
420 Smith Ave.
John Hanley
2104 Granville South
Kelly and Piatt
are near-sighted
To the editors:
There seems to be a great deal of
confusion about discrimination and
reverse discrimination as exhibited in
the recent issues of the DTH. Perhaps I
can shed some light oh the questions
raised.
Discrimination can be divided into
two categories; "blatant" discrimination
and institutionalized discrimination.
"Blatant" discrimination is when a
person is qualified for a positiorfSmt he
or she is denied the position solely
because of race, sex, religion or national
origin. Despite the fact that some male
WASPs do not think anyone is being
discriminated against, I have observed
and been subjected to quite a bit of this
blatant .discrimination right here in
North Carolina in the year 1974. A
banker told me that I did not get a job I
had applied for because they "wanted a
man for it." One real estate agent in the
triangle area told us they had advertised
a low priced house in a town 20 miles
from the house so that the local blacks
would not try to buy the house; the
owner wanted to keep the area all white.
Institutionalized discrimination is
deeper in our society. The way our
society is organized, the criteria used in
evaluations and some societal values
have the effect of discriminating against
some groups. For instance, take a look
at how employment agencies are
operated in the Raleigh area. Half of the
office is responsible for placing people
in secretarial and retail jobs. When my
husband and I would go into these
employment agencies, 1 would be
referred to the person who handled the
secretaries and he to the person who
handled the management jobs despite
the fact we have the same degree from
the same school with the same GPA. It
does not take a social scientist to figure
out that the only difference between us is
our sex. Yet my husband was being told
he was excellently qualified for entrance
level management and I was being asked
repeatedly how fast I could type,
whether I was taking birth control and
being told I better snap up this $2 an
hour bridal consultant job because good
jobs like this do not come along often or
I better brush up on my typing.
I think it is safe to say that
The
Daily Tar Heel
82nd Year of Editorial Freedom
All unsigned editorials are the opinion of the editors. Letters and
columns represent the opinions of individuals.
Founded February 23, 1893
Saturday, November 16, 1974
Famlt-ffondlSini
use amdl &iaMe
By their very nature, schools teach students to be better critics than
performers. We may be able to work our way through integral calculus,
discover all of Marx's failings, or explain Richard Nixon's downfall, but
when it comes to our own actions, even a single positive accomplishment is
very difficult.
This week two unfortunate events have shown the academic profession's
hopeless tendency to criticize. Our only faculty columnist, Gerald Unks, has
been receiving carefully-corrected copies of his DTH articles from an
anonymous grammarian in the English Department. And a member of the
American Studies Department found a copy of Wednesday's editorial
decrying highgrade distributions placed under her doorway. T(ie intent was
obvious; the clipping was a veiled threat that liberal grading practices must
stop. Again, it seems that an anonymous faculty member was responsible.
These twcf incidents reveal an astonishing lack of sensitivity for those who
battle in the front-lines of the university. When you're constantly taking
heat, especially when you're in the limelight, the least that opponents can do
is identify themselves. They know who you are; you should know who they
are. Some people in this university do try their hardest to advance our
welfare, but the above backstabbing efforts do not even further the critic's
ca use. The capacity for acute observation and analysis is quite common here
and thus the two nameless faculty critics hardly did anyone a favor by
belaboring their own abilities.
It probably does make a difference in some small minds that our columns
do have errors in grammar, syntax and diction, or that one particular
department might be too kind to students. AH of us try our best to improve,
but we could do even better if fault-finding came from friends, not from
enemies. But, more important, most criticism challenges petty details, not
underlying principles. It is easy for critics to miss the forest for the trees.
Criticism should flow freely in the university, but it should be from
identifiable and sympathetic sources. This is the price of the privilege of
dissent, if the suggestions are ever to be adopted by the person criticized
Relations here should be open and honest, however different and conflicting
the opinions. The university, of all places, should know better than to
indulge in the cruelty and intrigue of the outside world. We should be able to
improve on our environment, not be bound by it.
We dare the nameless, faceless critics in the two above incidents to make
their claims public, or even to face their victims. We dare them to take the
time to write a weekly column for the benefit of the community, instead of
for their own careers. We dare them to face the pressures and the
frustrations of any sort of innovative community action. It is easiest for
them to criticize what they know least about.
discrimination is still very much with us
and is not just the product of paranoid
women and radical blacks. Given a
racist and sexist society, how do we end
discrimination? It takes six months for a
complaint to be investigated by HUD. It
takes two years and longer to settle an
employment discrimination complaint
through EEOC. Despite Mr. Kelly's
belief in the efficacy of "the numerous
local and federal agencies that are
specifically designed to handle this type
of discrimination," two years is a long
time to wait for a job you are already
qualified for. And how do you prevent
future discrimination, both blatant and
institutionalized? I am truly sorry, but
some form of quotas is the only way I
can think of. Otherwise the elaborate
white male society will find some way to
maintain the current status quo, either
consciously or unconsciously. And
blacks and women will never meet the
muster because they lack the education
and the experience they were
discriminated out of in the past.
An end to discrimination will in the
long run be of great benefit to all in our
society. The best person for the job will
be hired rather than the sexist racist
criteria now used, and the job will be
done in the best way possible. The
individual will also be free to choose the
best job he or she can get on his or her
abilities, getting the best job for the
individual. If quotas and reverse
discrimination are the only way to get
this started; I will support them. Mr.
Piatt and Mr. Kelly, you are dead wrong
and very near-sighted.
Margaret Dube'Rundell
UNC Law School
Seback review
called damning
To the editors:
I'll have to hand it to Rick Sebak. His
review of the UNC Readers' production,
The Jar, aroused my ordinarily tolerant
temperament. Since I hold opinions of
an entirely different nature, I feel
compelled to respond to his article. 1 am
not affiliated with the UNC Readers, so
I believe my judgment to be just as valid
as Rick's.
The UNC Readers are students in
Mrs. Martha Hardy's Speech 141 class.
It seems unfair to subject a learning
experience to such harsh criticisms.
Mrs. Hardy's class provides an outlet
for experimentation to discover the
dimensions of this art form. I don't
understand how Rick can label the
group's efforts a "narrow-visioned
misunderstanding of the subtleties of an
oral presentation." Not only did he
express his disapproval of this
particular show, he also ruled out the
possibility of any improvement in the
future. While Rick is entitled to his
opinion, such remarks are not
constructive but demoralizing. They are
also not necessarily true.
My hope is that people will not be
unduly influenced by Rick's damning
-article. If you've never seen a UNC
Readers' production, then by all means
see one for yourself. Don't let a single
opinion cause you to miss an enjoyable
experience. You may just come to
believe, as I do, that reader's theatre is
an entertaining and worthwhile way to
spend an evening.
Cheryl Oxford
258 Ehringhaus
Mass apathy is
false assumption
To the editors: - ; 1
Kevin Roddy is indeed failing as an
alarm clock, as he says, but for different
reasons than those he believes. It seems
he is trying to expose two reasons for his
eyenicism: our "pathetic ignorance and
the shortcomings of our system. His
intentions may be good but his energies
are misdirected.
To begin with, mass ignorance, (or
apathy) is not a valid assumption.
Doesn't Mr. Roddy realize that not
everyone is indifferent or unaware? This
is true for the very fact that some people
when they see a problem, whether
internal or external, take steps to do
something about it. It is wrong to
characterize us as a bunch of sloths
producing nothing but a yearly crop of
moss. At least some of us are doing what
we want to do, and enjoying it. What
you see as problems cannot be totally
blamed on "apathetic ignorance," if at
all.
Being active, however, does not
necessarily entail getting your own way
in everything. Society means interaction
which means we must often adapt to
others instead of strictly pursuing our
own self-interests. It is not a
shortcoming of the system when we are
asked to do something different from
what we would prefer to do. Adapting to
society does not require a loss of
individualism, either; it simply calls for
flexibility. If you are to co-exist among
other humans, you must adopt a wider,
perspective.
1 do agree with Mr. Roddy regarding
change through group action. You have
the right to be heard and the right to try
to influence others, and more voices
means a greater appeal. But here too,
compromise may be necessary, simply
because you are not alone in the world.
Criticism can be constructive, but
action is better. And Mr. Roddy,
cynicism is not action or participation
unless it is transformed from abstract to
concrete. Non-voting is not acceptable,
either, when the excuse is "lack of
choice." Somebody's efforts determined
the choice, and you had the same
opportunity.
It seems then that Mr. Roddy's
cynicism results more from narrow
mindedness than anything else. Things
are being done, whether you accept
them or not. Action, not mere, criticism,
will bring about the needed changes.
Randy Perkins
309 Morrison
Student explains
academic policy
To the editors:
The Student Academic Affairs
Committee gave a fairly complete
explanation of University academic and
administrative policy ( 77 Nov. 13).
I would like to enlarge on that
information.
What do you do if you find yourself
flunking a subject? You do have a course
of action the condition jCO). This
involves negotiating with the individual
constructor for special work or for a
special examination. You might be able
to sit through the course again and do a
research paper instead of taking a final.
The CO is very infrequently used and
is almost defunct. In fact your professor
i probably would not evenknow about it.r
However, it is a means of extricating
yourself from a failing grade.
Unfortunately, with this method you
have a chance for only a D upon
completion of the CO.
The incomplete (IN) is not used solely
if a student fails to do an assignment
required in a course. It is in the same
class as the CO and is one of the degrees
of flexibility that the faculty are
allowed. Most faculty will always give a
student a chance to learn more and
demonstrate mastery in a course.
However, the availability of this method
could depend on such circumstances as
instructor deadlines.
In both the case of the CO and the IN,
the professor is the sole judge as to
whether or not they should be applied.
The student's record for the semester,
e.g. attendance, completion of class
work, etc., will probably determine the
applicability of these methods.
The appeals process is only rarely
used. However, don't be afraid to
protest a grade if you feef you have a
solid case. The faculty will behave
honestly in reviewing the case if it is
reasonable.
Also, don't be afraid of dropping a
course and receiving the notorious W.
The W is simply an annotation of
record. It is non-prejudicial and should
have little more effect than the older
method of blotting the course. If you
apply to grad school the admissions
board will take into account what
course was dropped, the number of
hours you were taking, and also what
your other courses were.
If you do not show up for an exam
you receive an AB. This is averaged in as
an F. The student can only be excused
by his academic dean or by the Student
Health Service. Some students might
expect an incomplete if they skipped
their exam. The AB is the only grade
that can be given in that situation. It is
purely an administrative grade.
When a student flunks a course and
then betters his grade after repeating the
course, the transcript will show that
improvement. The F will remain on the
record and in the average. One grade
will not supercede another. But don't
worry, one F does not make that much
difference in terms of your academic
career.
If you have a question about
academic procedures see your advisor.
Hopefully he will be able to give you the
guidance and information that you will
need.
Paul A. Williams
313 Winston
PIRG removes
the velvet glove
To the editors:
Well, it seems that PIRG has taken
off the velvet glove and put on the
mailed fist. We now have a sample of
how PIRG will react whenever the
student body votes in a way PIRG
'doesn't " llkg-"' ?;-? .
I'm glad I voted against PIRG last
week. It seems my distrust of them was
well-placed. Incidentally, I voted
against PIRG not because of anti-PIRG
posters but because of the pro-PIRG
posters.
John L.S. Hickey
2456 Sedgefield Drive
Chapel Hill
Reader defends
Mac packaging
To the editors:
Certainly, I realize that the
middleman in our economic society is
making a fast buck and will not deny
that fact. But 1 must take issue with
Gerry Cohen's "Small group making a
fast buck."
First, I realize that "all that cardboard
packaging and garbage that wraps it (a
McDonald's Quarterpounder)" may
seem a waste to some people, to some
uninformed person. But it's not garbage
at all. That paper used is completely
recyclable.
Second, that cardboard packaging
and garbage, as Mr. Cohen puts it, used
to wrap a Quarterpoundcr goes a long
way towards keeping the sandwich hot
and neat-looking. So, the next time Mr.
Cohen, or anyone wants a QP without
that cardboard packaging and garbage
that wraps it up, 1 can personally
guarantee they will always get one that is
cold, well mashed and brick hard.
I know. I've worked for McDonald's
for six and one-half years and know a lot
more about that corporation than Mr.
Cohen seems to think he does.
Will Mr. Cohen apologize for the
gross misstatement of fact?
Carlos Umstead
Editorial 'bully'
and a good show
To the editors:
To your editorial, "Alternative
needed to inflated grade system," I say
not "bullshit" but "bully"! Good show.
CM. Elliott
Dept. of Chemistry
(Graduate Student)
Thanks to Troy
for Kevin Roddy.
To the editors:
Kevin Roddy's editorial in Monday's
paper made (embodied and embraced)
two points which I think will receive the
wholehearted approval of most DTH
. readers with "meager values" that
managed to fight the temptation to doze
off after reading his opening paragraph.
First: He charged that students at
UNC receive a "pseudo-education."
True. Any institution that would give
English 1 credit to a student who writes
JAsx Mark JTwaiiV Pnce saidt" without
proceding this with whatever it was
Mark Twain said, surely deserves
extreme criticism.
We are fortunate that Roddy has
ascended from Troy, Michigan to open
our eyes to this truth and others, such as
the one embraced (and embodied) by his
maxim "cynicism is participation."
Second: He pleaded with Us (all) to
direct our "criticism to those who have
inspired it" a brilliant wording of the
intent of this very letter.
Perhaps Carolina's "education
combine" is in desperate need of a new
awakening, but 1 would rather let my
consciousness sleep (in the back of the
bus or anywhere else) than endure Kevin
Roddy's attempts to raise my seff
awareness. Anna Campbell
K-12 Colony Apts.
Chapel Hill
?! 1
y m?A L-i s.cr
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Daily
Tar Heel
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