North Carolina Newspapers

6 The Daily Tar Heel Wednesday, December 6, 1978 The bleaker side of vacationland Lou Bilionis, Editor Chuck Alston, Managing Editor Don Woodard, Associate Editor David McKinnon, Associate Editor Bern ie Rans bottom, University Editor Mary Annf. Uhyne, City luiitor Michael Wadf, Suite ami National liditor Richard Barron, Sews luiitor Betsy Flagler, Features Editor Mark Scandling, Arts Editor Lee Pace, Sports Editor Billy Newman. Photography Editor Satin Star TAwl 86th vear of editorial freedom Cleaning our backyard As with many university communities across the country, Chapel Hill has long been considered a center for environmental activism. Recent protest has involved opposition to the development of nuclear reactors (the construction of nearby Chatham County's Shearon Harrix reactor in particular), and the creation of Chatham's Jordan Lake. But confronting Chapel Hill residents today is a pollutant source in their own backyard: UNC's power plant. Reaction against the plant, located on Cameron Avenue, has initiated the formation of the Southwest Neighborhood Association, a group of approximately 35 local residents concerned with the plant's output of soot containing sulfuric acid. The pollution, members say, periodically spreads a thin layer of the soot on nearby plants and houses. "This has been going on for years," said Rudolph Roster, chairperson of SWA. "There are toxic gases which may be harmful to our lungs." - Power plant engineer. Ray DuBose has been mindful of the residents' concerns. The oil-fired burner, which had been a prime cause of the pollution has been shut down. But while much of the soot has subsided, lighter pollution may still pose a threat to the area, even though, according to DuBose, an air-filter system has been installed. DuBose estimates that complete pollution clean-up would cost the University $1 million to $2 million. Such funding, if approved by the UNC Board of Governors, would require the vote of the state legislature. SWA members already have begun organizing a drive to obtain residents' signatures to alert University officials of their concern. Without support from the Board of Governors, citizens may never be assured that the power plant won't continue to pollute Chapel Hill skies. Until such support is guaranteed, thereby opening the door to legislative financing, the UNC community may be able to fight for other- environmental causes, but it will generate little pressure for its own. m A. Power plant smokestack Time of troubles December may prove to be a very bad month indeed for Iran's Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and his beleagured government. It could prove to be much worse, however, for the massive Iranian opposition to his regime. Last Saturday marked for most Iranians the beginning of the holy month of Moharram, the Shiite Moslem month of mourning and a time of tremendous religious fervor. And Moharram has been chosen by the shah's conservative Moslem opposition as the month during which its efforts to bring down the shah will be concentrated. The response from the people of Iran in the days since has lent much credence to the opinion of many observers that the shah will face a grave threat to his authority in the weeks ahead. A general strike called for last week by Ayatullah Khomaini, spiritual leader of Iran's Shiites, has caused widespread disruption in Iran's cities; more important, the call by the ayatulla for a partial strike by the country's oil workers has resulted in a severe cutback in Iran's production of petroleum, its most important export. A number of analysts, in fact, believe that the economic problems a long-term strike might produce would themselves be enough to bring down the shah. In the meantime, however, the shah will face a much stiffer test inthe capital city of Tehran and in Iran's other urban centers, where violent demonstrations in the last few days have left huTidreds or even thousands dead, and where guerilla activity has begun to increase significantly. It is widely believed both within Iranls opposition and among more neutral observers that the climax of the current activity against the shah will come on Dec. 11, the holy day of Ashura, which marks the anniversary of the death of H ossein, a Shiite martyr and grandson of the prophet Mohammed. But it is certain at least that many more people will be martyred to the cause of opposition to the shah-before a resolution of the troubles in Iran is reached. The Daily Tar Heel Assistant Managing Editors: John Hoke, George Shadroui Ombudsman: Chris Lambert Weekender Editor: Michelc Meckc News: Laura Alexander. Joan Braiford. Shannon Hrcnnan. Michael I.. Brown. Chris Burritt. Carol Carnevale. Mike Coyne. Kathy Curry. l)ru Dovdy. Anne-Marie Downey. Ben Estes. Annette Fuller, Carol Hanner, Pam Hildebran. .lad Hughes. Jitn Hummel. Tern Hunt. Dinita James. Thomas Jessiman, Cieorge Jeter. Cain Johnson. Ramona Jones. I'am Kelley. Keith King. Susan I.add. Kuth Me(iaw. Kath Moniil. Debbie Moose. Mark Murrell. Diane Norman. I aura Phelps. Melanie Sill. David Snyder. K. at ha I reanor. Martha Waggoner. Sarah West and Carolyn Worsley. News Desk: Chuck Burns. Lisa Cartwright, Bernie Cook. Pat Daugherty.Sue Doctor, Mary Gibbs, Jere Link. Cathy McJunkin, Debbie Moose, Larame Kyan, wary dcui own. Thomas and Robert Thomason. - Sports: Pete Mitchell, assistant editor; Evan Appel. George Benedict. Norman Cannada, Bill Fields. John Fish. David McNeill. Brian Putnam, Rick Scoppe. Frank Snyder and Isabel Worthy. Features: Vikki Broughton. Cheryl Carpenter. Terri Garrard, Debra King, Margaret Lee, Bill McGowan. Mary Ann Rickert. Cathy Robinson. Clive A. Stafford Smith, Sudie Taylor, Donna Tompkins and Pat Wood. Arts: Ann Smallwood, assistant editor; Buddy Burniske, Gregory Clay, Marianne Hansen, Steve Jackson, Jere L.ink, Melanie Modlin, Mark Peel, Judith Schoolman and Anthony Seideman. Graphic Arts: Dan Brady, Alan Edwards, Bob Fulghum G. Douglas Govus, Kathy Harris, Jeff Lynch, Jocelyn Pettibone, Eric Roberts and John Tomlinson, artists; Andy James, Ann McLaughlin, Will Owens and Kim Snooks, photographers. Business: Claire H. Bagley, business manager; Linda L. Allred, secretary receptionist; Kim Armstrong, Chuck Lovelace and William Skinner, accounting; Julia Breeden. circulation and distribution manager. Advertising: Ncal Kimball, advertising manager; Nancy McKenzie, advertising coordinator; Arje Brown, classifieds; Andy Davis, Betty Ferebe, Linsey Gray, Wendy Haithcock, Julie Plot, Lynn Timberlake and Jerita Wright, sales. CIlF igtmass the Iieadaclies o Don Woodard's 'Paradox Lost It seems like only days ago I was wrastlin' drop add lines, and suddenly- 'tis the season to be jolly. But where's the little Santa who glides down the snowy hillside on a Norelco triple-header? Where's the entire staff at WTVD who'd like to wish me and mine the warmest of season's greetings? (Realistically, don't you suppose there's one or two staff members who personally couldn't care less whether you have a pleasant holiday?) Where are the great aunts of this area who are supposed to be in search of presents (for great nephews) in the pajama departments of local stores? Surely I've had my head in the sand these past few weeks. But while I may have missed most of the signs, the calendars don't lie; I will be home in 14 days. Christmas in Texas isn't much different from Christmas across the country, unless your Santa doesn't wear cowboy hats and his reindeer don't sport saddles. But like many out-of-staters who don't work at home in the summer, I have counted back to those early days in June and found I r haven't been home in six months. (But then, my grandparents have been reminding me how long it's been and toss in the occasional "no-it's-okay-because-even-if-you-did-write-we're-so-old-that-we-probably-wouldn't-be-able-to-read-ybur-letters-anyway" line. They are good at these mini dramas and often threaten to send my money to increase the impact of these guilt trips.) And for the simple reason that 1 didn't want to spend me undergraduate days at Fort Worth's TCU (go you Horned Frogs and all that), I am destined to fly home. (Airplanc.it's the only way to fly, arf, arf.) I am not afraid of flying. (Although there was that time over Cincinnati when we flew through a storm so severe the pilot couldn't find a polite way of saying "Hang on, for Chrissakes, folks. We'rein for one hell of a ride.") But 1 dread the fact that I must take part in the Everyone and His Dog are Hying Somewhere for' Christmas Fiasco; Airport scenes are either too vague or too vivid m my memory. I am either running down long concourses with four bags under my arms and a ticket in my mouth and on the way to watch them close the door of my plane at the last second (want to guess which side of the door I'm on?), or I am sitting in a 25 cent-for-30-minutes television chair for eight hours in a Tennessee airport terminal The future isn't difficult to foresee. In exactly two weeks a Delta ticket agent will see me as the prime candidate to sit next to an elderly woman , equipped with at least 24 pictures of the most beautiful grandchildren God ever allowed to walk the face of the earth. If the agent is particularly good at his job, he has seen to it that the woman smokes a cigar. A big cigar. "Yes ma'am, they are the most beautiful grandchildren God ever allowed to walk on the face of the earth, and no ma'am, I wasn't planning to eat my crescent roll, go right ahead." Meanwhile, from behind my seat, a 6-year-old with strawberry jelly on his hands has chosen me to play "guess who" with him. I am not in the mood, . and stewardess, could 1 please have a napkin for my eyebrows? Several hours later we have arrived at Chicago's O'H are International where 1 will walk, nay, run the (distance of 12 city blocks to catch a southbound plane that will take great pleasure in not waiting for my luggage. During the fast tempoed interim I must manage to dodge fathers with crazed looks in their eyes who are dragging families of six to idling 707s. Young men and women are shoving flowers and books into my hands, and Tsay "Rama Rama" as I brush past them, forgetting that the Moonies, not the Hare Krishnas, are the current cult in vogue. At last I have made my second plane, and find beside me another elderly woman who apparently isn't aware that a grandmother from Tabor City has already laid claims to having the most beautiful grandchildren. But this one has the decency to warn me that she occasionally experiences airsickness. It will be another long flight. 6 And finally, I am home. Two days later my luggage is delivered by a man from United who can't understand why I'm laughing as he stands waiting for a tip. Being the philanthropist that she is, my mother gives him a dollar. And for the next two weeks or so, I will enjoy the supreme privilege of walking throughout the house in my underwear. I'll watch Richard Dawson verbally horsewhip a nervous bathroom fixtures salesman and his lovely-wife-and-children on the Family Feud. And worst of all, I will face relatives who will probe into my future. Perhaps when they were 21 they knew they wanted to be butchers, car salesmen, teachers and the like. "What are they training you for at that college anyway?" And I will mention a few prospects on the horizon and could they please pass the dressing if they didn't mind. Each day of vacation might seem to pass slowly, but suddenly poof a plane touches down at RDU. And the drawn-out process of exchanging "How was your Christmas break?" begins. I am reminded of my freshman year when it seemed that Thanksgiving would never arrive, much less Christmas. Now I am beginning to wonder where the time has flown. And this is the year-long story, half-told, of being lost in the senior paradox. Merry Christmas. Don Woodard, a senior RTVMP major from Fort Worth, Texas, is an associate editor for the Daily Tar Heel. )JSm..: to - -J Mi r. . letters to the editor Military9 equality imsleadiii; To the editor: I am writing in response tp the recent letter to the editor ("Go Navy," DTH, Nov. 29) by Ed Giles, chief petty officer of the Navy ROTC at UNC. Giles claims that the Armed Services may be the only field in which equal opportunity for women is given more than lip service. I'd like to otter an opposing viewpoint that the Armed Services is only concerned with offering "equal opportunities" to women because they cannot recruit enough men to fill their quotas. For decades men have been the prime subjects of militarization. The draft, the torture of basic training, death and permanent disability, physical and psychological abuse, the stockades and bad discharges, all the vital elements for winning wars all have predominantly or exclusively had male victims. Servicemen, despite their hopes, quickly realize the recruiter's deception and develop a dislike for soldiering. The extent of Gl discontent is hard to measure, but the Pentagon reports over a million incidents of A WOL in the last six years. Although not all soldiers are unhappy with their military jobs, public mistrust of the military has forced the Pentagon to spend billions of dollars trying to make military service look desirable. Bonuses and guaranteed job training have enticed some young men to enlist, but the Armed Forces has only been able to meet its recruiting quotas by significantly lowering its enlistment goals and standards. In the past few years, the Defense Department has begun to realize how useful women can be in satisfying its "manpower" requirements and to offer them the same "opportunities' as it offers men. The atmosphere created by talk of the Equal Rights Amendment has been carefully manipulated within the military. Although the Pentagon's motives may appear to be idealistic, and changes are announced with a heavy dose of the rhetoric of equality, the main force behind many recent policy changes toward women is practical needs. Former Sec. of Defense Elliot Richardson said, "An important consideration in implementing the all-volunteer force is the potential trade-off between men and women. By enlisting more women, fewer men have to be enlisted." Equal opportunity? In reality, women are being used to till the gaps the vacancies that result because too many men have learned what opportunities there are compared to the drudgery the military has to offer. . Taken in by this recruiting hoax, women are finding themselves in the military, where in fact they get little useful training, perform "mickey mouse" chores (women are so equal and liberated now that they can do KP) and often are considered by servicemen as nothing more than government-paid prostitutes. The most frightening example of growth in the militarization of women is that the military now trains young girls in high school. In 1977. some 34,619 girls in high school ROTC programs learned military history, patriotism and the use of weapons. Is teaching the art of murder the role our educational system should play in society? I would urge any woman who is. considering joining any branch of the armed services to check out the realities of recruiter's promises before making any decisions. I would be glad to talk with any woman aborrrtier "equal opportunities" in the armed services and what she can actually expect to get when she enters that vocation. Diane Spaugh 108 Purefoy Road Muddy spirit To the editor: I am presently a student at N.C. State, so you may wonder why I am writing a letter to the editor of the Daily Tar Heel. The reason is the following: I came to Chapel H ill on Dec. 1 to go to the Big Four Tournament with some of my Carolina friends. I parked my car, a 1978, 280Z Datsun, at the metered spaces on Country Club Drive and left it there for the weekend. My friends and 1 went to the tournament. After Duke eliminated State, I decided I would pull for Carolina, since I had witnessed how obnoxious the Doo'kies fans were the night before. Bear in mind, this is no easy matter for a true Wolfpacker, Needless to say, I was upset when Duke finally won the championship. Sunday, when I was getting ready to leave, I noticedsome muddy marks on my back window. However, I thought nothing of this. When 1 got back to Raleigh, 1 noticed my car had a new feature. The smudge on my back window was left there when someone jumped and landed on my roof, leaving a giant dent. Undoubtedly, some drunk UNC student, seeing my State sticker, decided he would take out his frustrations on me. I can appreciate school spirit and the great competitive nature of the ACC schools, but what purpose was accomplished by this action? I don't hold the actions of one maniacal bastard against Carolina. Every school has such mental deviates. But such destructive acts must not be construed as school spirit. 1 ask any truly spirited Tar Heels with any information to please get in contact with the police because such acts as this should not go unpunished. Acts such as this can only hurt the reputation of a school, not help it. ' Roger Murray v N.C. State University Educational toys .To the editor: Do you have the courage to seek the truth no mattet how unpalatable? Are you willing to make a little greater personal effort to increase the rate of human progress? In this holiday season, or on other gift-giving occasions, no gift is greater than increasing humanity's stock of knowledge. Why not give an educational gift this year? To solve the problems facing mankind we will need more than just emotional outbursts, more than love, kindness, charity and much more than promises candidates make while running for office. We will need knowledgeable people who are not afraid to attack complicated problems which lack obvious answers. Perhaps your child, or one of your neighbors' children, possesses that faint glimmer of hope which can be nurtured into becoming a solution to one of humuaity's future problems. You can give a gift which will pay itself back many times over. Give an educational toy,. a book or some of your own time to someone special this year. John E. Schulte Wall, N.J. Travelers beware, SLS says (Editor's note: This advice is prepared by Student Legal Services, which maintains an office in Suite A of the Carolina Union. UNC students have prepaid for this service and may obtain advice at no additional charge.) Many students will be traveling this Christmas season, so here are some selected tips for the holiday traveler. AIRLINE BUMPING: Airlines overbook flights based on a computation of how many people will make reservations but not show -up. New rules, effective September 3, 1978, require the airlines to seek volunteers . to be bumped, rather than choosing people at the end of the line. The goal is to end involuntary bumpings. If you volunteer to be bumped, the airline compensates you the full value of the ticket coupon for that flight, with a minimum of $37.50 and maximum of $200.00. If there are too few ' volunteers, the airlines may still involuntarily Bump, but still must pay the requisite compensation. PASSPORTS: To travel in the great majority of foreign countries, you must have a U.S. Passport in your possession. If you lose your passport abroad, knowledge of certain procedures will speed replacement. First, report to the local police that your passport was lost or stolen and obtain a copy of the police report. With that report, proceed to an American Embassy or consulate. To get your passport replaced, you will need two passport size (2" . by 2") pictures and a certified copy of your birth certificate. So, you should, take these documents with you before, leaving the U.S. Finally, take a U.S. friend with you to the Embassy to vouch for your identity or present additional identifications. The best advice is to guard your original passport carefully. FOREIGN TRAVEL: Remember that when you leave U.S. borders, you also leave behind the protection of U.S. laws. This means you are subject to all the laws of the country in which you are traveling, which includes civil, criminal, and vehicular statutes. If you have a legal problem while abroad, contact a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. They will not provide you with legal assistance, but many times the Embassy has a list of local attorneys who can help Americans. Student Legal Services wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday!