Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Jan. 22, 1981, edition 1 / Page 8
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O BxAi KuiROVT. ;.iuu- liditor I'am Ki i.i.ky. Lwwfc Ljwr Amy Siiarpk. ProJiuiiou Editor ' vsi.( cJ IG IvARJ N RoWlKY. fVni'5 7tr Linda Drown. I hmrrsity Editor Ann Smallwood. City Editor Maex MussELL; Suite and National Editor ... o Davsd Poole, Sports Editor James Alexander, Features Editor Tom Mocre, jror SCOTT Shaepe, Photography Editor Ann Petess, IVeekenJer Editor JLLJ C y a si y mi intBressive 4 jr .year of editorial freedom (lloHi.l SilADKi H i, ...t v ;i - By BUDDY BURNISKE AND GEORGE SHADROUI I he negotiators Amid the jubilation that has followed the release of the American hostages, those who negotiated their freedom are quickly being for gotten. They are unlikely heroes: a force of diplomats and businessmen and women, here and abroad, armed only with briefcases and frozen Iranian assets. Our suit-and-tie team stood in marked contrast to the bearded Iranian negotiator Behzad Nabavi, who seemed to wear the same fatigue jacket throughout the weeks of bartering. The negotiators, however, are directly responsible for the hostages release, and they deserve the nation's gratitude. Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher and his colleagues had to convince the Iranians to scale down their original demand of $24 billion, in effect a ransom for the hostages, to the $9.5 billion in Iranian assets this country had frozen. . The diplomats then had to work with American and English bankers to settle disputes about outstanding loans and interest. Finally, an arbitration committee was set up to process claims against Iran by American interests the part of the deal that held up the hostages' release until Ronald Reagan's inauguration. Christopher and the diplomatic corps have been working since last year to reach an agreement, and their task was made more difficult by the Iranians' persistent introduction of impossible demands. After realizing that an American apology was not forthcoming, the Iranians dropped that demand and eventually their request for the return of the assets of Shah Reza Pahlavi. The final agreement simply returns the two nations' financial situation to the status it had in November 1979, after the hostages were taken. President Reagan has now declared that he wants his staff to read the agreement closely before implementing it, and he has blocked the lifting of our trade embargo against Iran. Prudence in implementing the agreement is in order, but Reagan cannot in good faith reject it. Protocol and precedent dictate that an incumbent president abide by his predecessor's executive agreements, and Reagan had agreed to do' so beforehand. For him to withdraw now would lend credence to Iranian criticism of America, cast a shadow over the brilliant diplo macy of Christopher and the American negotiators, and place the United States on questionable political and moral ground. on't toss the soud, vet -If you don't know it yet, you soon will. It may dawn on you suddenly. Perhaps one day you'll look up and a smiling face will beckon you. "Vote for me, vote for me." Or perhaps late one night while wrestling with another math problem or making a soup and sandwich snack, someone will knock4 upon your door ready and willing to give you his or her qualifications for an elected position. If you're the cynical sort, you may throw out the soup, but you'll also become aware that election time is once again upon us. . Each year this strange and somewhat befuddling process comes and each year the same cliches are given either by the candidates or the voter. In years past such cliches rang terribly even if true. "Let's put the student back in the government." "The University should be an adviser not a supervisor," "Let's make our senior year the most memorable." The list goes on. It is easy to see why one might tire of such trite cliches and catch phrases. Yet, to assume that the candidate is not sincere is perhaps unfair. The issues don't usually change each year. It's not so surprising, then, that candidates don't always harbor fresh ideas for unheard of problems. But just as distressing as the candidate's word games are those of the voter. "They just want to see their pictures in the paper." "He's cute, I'll vote for him," and best of all, "What difference does it make?" Actually, not a lot if you're using death, war, and racism as a gauge. But this election will have an effect on campus life and issues like race relations, parking and housing. Ideas will be tossed about. Students will learn. Now is the time to get to know a candidate and his positions on issues or better yet his ability to think and act under pressure, which the candidate is sure to encounter after elections are finished. Don't vote come Feb. 10 if you've made an honest effort to find an issue or candidate of interest or concern and failed. But, for now, don't toss the soup. ililH Th3 DOitom line . Aro ycu busy tonight? Word has come from Indio, CA, the "Date Capital of the World," that this year's Date Festival will be held Feb. 13-21. A Date Festival? The week of Val entines Day? The mind bogles at the idea of hundreds of couples fcins cut for a movie, then stopping for a cherry coke with two straws; thousands of cars parked by the side of the read in Indio, apparently with no occupants; all-night drive-in movies with hundreds of fegced-up windshields. The possibilities are Ahs. The Date Festival will com memorate the other kind of date, the bet in kir.J. Indio may be liable ffT f V!rf t?r" ivi 4 - v i,uttUj'i On vt.n3 vvc.t A study funded by the Depart ment cf Education reports that 10 to 25 percent of American students have "masuve problems" trying to Vi 1 1 e The study said n:tt of the 9-, 13 and 17-year-cld students tested knew the basic principles of writing descriptive paragraphs, business letters and c.rr cxtKr.es. At each v -?, ho-.vever, 10 to 25 percent "dis play massive problems with written language. They do not understand the nature and conventions of writ ten language." The results came as no surprise to us at The Daily Tar Heel. We know how difficult it is to produce a paper containing good writing each day. We thinks more students should take them remedial writing courses, so them won't get to college and maybe work for the college news paper and not know how to write proper. Signs cf tha times As soon as one crisis is over, it seems, another one begins. The people in UNC's Planning Department, a forward-thinking group if ever there was one, arc fearful for the future of the republic now that President Ronald Rcasan has been inaugurated. Unable to contain themselves, they posted a srn above the department's water cooler. It succinctly states the feci in? of many liberal Americans these days; THE REAGAN ADMINISTRA TION: AMERICA HELD HOS TAGE, DAY 1 And that's the left-wins bottom line. WASHINGTON D C. By 11:45 a.m. Tuesday as many as 70,000 people had pushed and crowded their way around the Capitol building here where Ronald Reagan would be inau gurated as the 40th president of the United States. " ' ' , , They climbed trees to get a glimpse of the event. They carried radios and televisions knowing that glimpse would be short-lived if it came at all. Some of them came to cheer him, wearing cowboy hats with Reagan campaign brims, waving Reagan pen nants and sporting multi-colored Reagan buttons. Some came to protest his debut, or at least to draw attention to the dif ferences between their views and Reagan's. Equal Rights Amendment supporters were everywhere and the "Immoral Minority" carried signs boasting the joys of "Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll" and offering such sage wisdom for the president-elect as V"Nuke (Alexander) Haig." The pomp and circumstance of lnr auguration Day did not often reach those of us standing amid the crowd, staring at our feet and listening to the catcalls of nearby observers. History may report for posterity that only two events of major importance oc curred on Jan. 20, 1981 the release of the hostages in Iran and Reagan's inauguration. But history no doubt had a better seat than we did. Dozens of people hovered around a small television with an 8-by-10 screen. They were part of history because they were among the throng, but were not content to miss the event just because they were there. "Have the hostages gotten out?", someone shouted from behind the -4 i .-(. W& -iUVV '--'---i- --..--. --..rl.riir-r..-,r. ., huddled group. The family that owned the set was oblivious to the invasion of their portable living room. "Could you move over, I ca't see," another person said. "God it's cold out here. Wind is blowing right through me." "I hope this thing gets going soon." , "Listen, they're leaving the White House! They're leaving!" The crowd around the television dispersed quickly as people ran toward Constitution Avenue, where the president and the president-elect's limousine was certain to pass. Within minutes thousands lined Constitution Avenue. Children and adults pushed eagerly, while they prepped and poised their cameras for the coming of the president. "Move over," a boy yelled at someone. i 1 I i Ths next best thing to being there ...is a TV set to watch the speech "Will we see them? Will we see them?" a girl begged her mother. "Honey, could you move your head, I don't need any photos of your hair," a man said. "Here they come!" someone shouted. Suddenly a roar of police motorcycles, a score at least, passed by. Then numerous buses carrying dignitaries and friends of the presi dent, then secret service cars, then more limousines carrying forgotten names of mere senators. At last, the president's car, followed by limousines carrying Rosalyn Carter, Walter Mondale and others, their friends perhaps. Reactions were . immediate. . "I saw him, I saw him." "Where is he?" "There's Mondale." "Where?" "Hey Rosalyn." "Damn, I can't see nothing." "Wave Johnny." "I can't see them." Seconds later, the motorcade had passed. "Did you see the president, he looked just like he does on tele vision." "He looked tired." "He looked unreal, like a manne quin." ' ' "I didn't see nothing." badly to see what it wouldn't be able to see anyway. The sign crept forward. "Amen," a man said, facetiously, as he regained a clear view of the crowds. "A chorus of "amens" followed. A thick baritone began to sing "God Bless America," his voice es caping the distant speakers arranged atop the scaffolding in front of the Capitol Building. People talked and laughed while many stood quietly ' peering through binoculars searching for a familiar dignitary's face. "... through the night with a light from aboooooove." The crowd laughed when it realized the singer was still holding the note they had passed one verse earlier. Radios added to the confusion, their delayed transmission trailing the voice of the singer. "Where are they sitting?" someone asked. "There. On the podium draped with the red, white and blue." Fingers pointed: More heads craned forward. People balanced on toes. Finally, the oath was given. Reagan stood alone on the podium. 4What,jdid.he say?" asked a whimpering voice. . "I don't know." 'History may report for posterity that only two events of mafor importance occurred on Jan. 20, 1981 the release of the hostages in Iran and Reagan 's inauguration. But history no doubt had a better seat than we did. ' i ; , t f ' , s L. ' t 4 a 0 afc. OTH BMy Kurnk Onlookers perch in trca during parads ...getting a good seat can be tough Before the cars were out of sight the crowd was on the move again. Thousands moved simultaneously back to the lawns jhat will give them : a distant view of the Capitol Building and the making of a new president.; The trees were fuU of people. Blankets were laid on the ground. Someone turned up a radio. The "Immoral Minority" gestured hedonistically at Reagan supporters. Souvenir hunters bartered with , salesmen willing to oblige them. Some spectators ate pic nic lunches, others chomped on hot pretzels that were sold so fast they were still cold. Finally, a band, which had been playing for some time, stopped. Then they played again, a familiar tune this time the president's song. Someone, a reverend, was talking. His voice rose timidly from his podium. Some one turned up the radio. A man carrying a large sign that read, "Jesus saves from hell," stopped and obscured the view. "Move that damn sign!" "Who is that guy? move the hell out of the way." "No, don't stop move, move." A chorus of boos and hisses arose from the audience, which wanted so "What the hell are they clapping about now?" a man asked when the privileged spectators with reserved seating near the podium burst into ovation. Their distant applause was inaudible, but hands could be seen slapping against each other. "I wonder if the Sermon on the Mount was like this?" A man chuckles. "Naw, they at least had missals." "Will you watch it with that . damned antenna?" People began to slip steadily out of the crowd while the new president spoke. They ran for the roads, seeking a good spot along the parade site. It would be another three hours before the parade began. By then, the freed hostages in Iran would be the talk of the town. Celebrations wouU flare up in and ground the nation's capital. And then, as Reagan bean his duties, the waiting would begin anew. Cuddy Durniske Is a junior English major from Hatfield, Mass, George Shadroui, a senior journalism end history major from Salisbury, b editor of The Daily TarlLxl. Criticism Gimivered MmsMinni sta'denit rairaises Amaericaii society By MUHAMMAD HA BID I am writing in response to the article "America seems 'atheistic to Muslim Student," DTH, Jan. 14), about Muhammad Buraey (a Saudi Arabian student in Chapel Hill).' Buraey claimed that it was very difficult to be a Muslim in the United States. While he is certainly entitled to his opinion (this is a free country), my exper ience as a Muslim is quite different, In my first year at UNC in 1974. the Presbyterian Church provided cur .Muslim croup (including Buraey) with, a room for our Friday prayers which wc used until we founded the Muslim Student Asso ciation and moved to a room in the Carolina Union. This reflects the cpen-mindedness cf the American people and their tolerance of people vho hold different beliefs. Other aspects of bdnz a Muslim (such as fasting during Ramadan and wmmsssmsz&saam i" f z1"" "Response" is a feature of The Djdy Tcr Heel incorporating written opinion in response to columns or editorials. The Tcr Heel welcomes such submissions, which preferably should be typed, double spaced, on a 60-spaee line. praying The times a day) are as caiy for Muslim to adhere to as ruihcr rchjous cc tiom are iton?; certainly the American cull nut to bhrr.e fur the rdHcus hort:crr.!r v,cak believers, Muslims cr c:herVr.ev B also stated: "My main point it thit this cc (America) is spiritually void find that the f' therr.edu h jmt un cf the devices in: J to C p.rade I dam I ruea sery different perce; inic ure is s cf uraey " -; m- f y tt cr ' . This country is full of Christians, Jews tnd Muslims who arc religious and spiritually sound. Only a paranoid person would bdleve that there is a conspiracy in this country ac-- hbm. The fact of the matter is that the people here zr.d the media do not know enough about Islam to even conspire against it. If, as Buraey stated, he feels that Chapel Hill is like a prison, then it h certainly a prison of his own rr.alin. Otn busly his hzk cf ' rnult cf narrow views and failure to cemmurdeste. finally, ccnlrary to Buraey claim that America is a morally decadent Sand, I regard ths principles and clues of the pc'T!- ? lU country very highly; in reticular, -ppreciatj their tclcrar.cc cf their ungrateful gue-.ts. A;. . .'! h 0i..t:n- hjrclt' (JSC
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 22, 1981, edition 1
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