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8The Daily Tar HeelFriday, February 11, 1983 3ar mm Playboy ad degrades women 90th year of editorial freedom John Drescher, Editor ANN PETERS, Managing Editor KEN MlNGIS, Associate Editor Rachel Perry, University Editor Lucy Hood, cay Editor JIM WRINN. State and National Editor S.L.YRICE, Sports Editor Laura Seifert, n star GELAREH ASAYESH, Contributions Editor Linda Robertson, Associate Editor ELAINE MCCLATCHEY, Projects Editor Teresa Curry, Features Editor Jeff Grove. Art Editor Jane Calloway, Weekend Eduor AL STEELE, Photography Editor By SUSAN ROE and NEVA BAIL BRIDGES Dram sham Part of Gov. JintB. Hunt's proposed drunk driving legislation is the "dramshop" law. That proposal would make restaurants, bar owners and grocery store owners who sell alcoholic beverages to minors or drunk customers subject to civil suits if the customers later cause traffic ac cidents. That would place an unfair burden on businesses and also may damage the rest of Hunt's anti-drinking package. The dramshop proposal is the most unreasonable proposal presented by the governor. The law is unfair because it places the blame for a per son's drunkeness not on the person himself, but on the business where the alcohol was purchased. Bars cannot be responsible for the sale of alcohol to adults of legal drinking age. For example, if a person drank a six-pack of beer, then ordered one drink at a bar and had a traffic acci dent, the bar would be legally responsible for any civil damages. The dramshop law would force bar and restaurant owners to decide when a customer is too drunk to have another drink. That is a subjective judgment a bartender should not have to make. A person who may. ap pear reasonably sober could still be legally drunk. To accurately measure alcohol consumption, bars and restaurants would have to give each cus tomer a Breathalyzer test, which currently is not practical. Rather than approving an impractical law that would be impossible to enforce, the General Assembly should push for stricter enforcement of existing laws. To its credit the General Assembly is trying to negotiate a compromise on Hunt's dramshop law by making businesses who sell alcohol to minors iiable in (M court. Even that law, however, is un necessary because selling alcohol to minors already is against the law. Bet ter enforcement of that law would do more to accomplish the governor's purpose than the proposed dramshop legislation. By allowing the General Assembly to simply weaken his proposal, the governor only made a bad idea worse. Instead of pressing for passage of a law that cannot work, Hunt would do better to concentrate his efforts on winning approval for the rest of the DUI package. The following editorial column appeared in the Feb ruary 1983 issue of SHE magazine. Although some will argue that Playboy is moderate in comparison to the abuses outlined, we feel that, at the very minimum, it promotes an image of women as things to be used. By LYNNE HARRIS The most dangerous and frightening aspect of porno graphy is the possibility of belief and acceptance of its ideas. Whether or not people are aroused by porno graphic violence or entertained by it is not the point. The pictures alter our consciousness by legitimating victimi zation. It is the implicit and explicit approval of aggres sion that is important. Therefore, those against porno graphy are not against it for its sexual content but for its dehumanizing message. The issue is not morality but vio lence. The hostility against women is predominant yet rarely noticed theme throughout pornography. Laura Lederer in Take Back the Night makes an excellent point when she asks if it is really too much for men and women to recognize hate when they see it. Her analogy is that if a Jew or black or any other oppressed people is tied, spreadeagled, stripped, and whipped, then one could assume that the person who made the picture did not hold the group in very high regard. But put a woman in that picture and men laugh and women turn their heads. Those people who ask for less violence on television for their children's sake are not accused of being pro- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR censorship or against the First Amendment. Similarly, minority groups who fight against racial slurs and de grading representations are waging a political fight. Yet when women are the group degraded, and pornography is the fight, then the cause is square or conservative, par ticularly in this age of sexual revolution. It is under the cloak of the sexual revolution that por nography is damaging because it distorts sex by por traying men as violent aggressors and women as victims. Furthermore, women in pornography accept arid even take pleasure in violent abuses. Thus, the horror of por nography is. that it implies that women are innately masochistic and desire male domination. Not surprisingly, pornography escalated in amount and severity as women began to take strides towards equality and rejected the traditional role of subordina tion. Causing a crisis to the male ego, the Women Liberation movement fostered the male fantasy express ed in pornography. The feeling of disgust that women feel when viewing pornography could be the realization that female bodies are being exploited and violated to bolster the male esteem which enjoys seeing women as playthings and sexual objects. Pornography must be stopped, for it teaches violence, aggression, and objectification of women. The Playboy ad run in the Feb. 8 issue of The Daily Tar Heel has prompted us to address the issue of por nography, society's attitudes toward women, and how the two are intertwined. We question whether anyone on this campus would want to see the women of Chapel Hill or women in general portrayed as objects for men's enjoyment. Even the language used is the adver tisement and the subsequent editorial printed in the DTH ("Guys and dolls," Feb. 10) were derogatory. Playboy solicits "co-eds" and ""girls;" not once do they use the word "woman." The subtitle of the magazine is "Entertainment for men." Only by using the words "sexual plaything," could they be more obvious about their intent. The title of the DTH editorial is an out rageous referral to women as objects; toys to distract. The tone of the writer is condescending; the editorial reduces a serious issue to a trivial one. The portrayal of women in a pornographic manner becomes merely a bad joke. People will argue that certain women will want to res pond to the advertisement and that in printing the ad, the DTH is offering them the choice. We feel it is impor tant to realize that cultural values shape attitudes of our society's members. Women have internalized these values, accepting the domination of and exploitation by males accepting the idea that they are nothing more than objects for men's entertainment. John Drescher informed representatives of the Asso ciation for Women Students that the DTH reserves the right not to publish advertisements deemed to be in "poor taste." We abhor the exploitation of the human body and the violation of our dignity. This is poor taste. Susan Roe, a senior political science and philosophy major, is vice chairperson for membership in the Asso ciation for Women Students. Neva Dail Bridges is a senior psychology major from Raleigh. D on't abolish Student Government Goin' smokeless It gets more and more difficult to stop. And who would want to? You just put a little pinch between your cheek and gum, and by golly, you're getting so much tobacco taste you don't want to quit. Or you take out your pouch of chew and get a big handful of leaf and stick the stuff in the side of you mouth till you look like a big league baseball player stepping up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning. Chewin' tobacco has gotta be the greatest thing since the creation of the pick-up truck. Of course, there are a few disadvantages. Oops. Once the juices get flowin' they'll be some mighty powerful ex pectorating going on and it's a good idea to keep a cup around or else you might slip up and spill a little. wv Not that a little juice should stop you. Pardon. And don't listen to any fancy doctors either. Sure, so chewing can cause bad breath and discolored teeth. Sure, so" . it can cause receding gums, tooth decay and oral cancer. So what are ya, anyway, an English major? You eat quiche or something? The bottom line is that a whole lot of men and women across the coun try are turning to smokeless tobacco. We're just not talking about ol' country boys either. Since 1974, sales of snuff and chaw have been grow ing at an annual rate of about 10 percent. Dippers and chewers have been consuming about 100 million pounds of the stuff a year. Young 'uns are dippin' and chewin' like never before, too. A whole generation of Americans y- 'M ' (sorry again) is growing up with a cup in its hands and a pouch ' ,or can in the back pocket. That's the way it ought to be. Even . .though this was written with tongue in cheek, goin' smokeless sure beats blowin' smoke. r To the editor: It's that time of year again. Each Feb ruary the normally bare walls of campus buildings and dormitories are covered with campaign posters for student body president, RHA president, CAA presi dent and even CGC candidates. This year, however, the election has an in teresting controversy in the emergence of Hugh Reckshun for student body presi dent. There are two things I believe each stu dent should consider before deciding how to cast their vote Tuesday. First, I think the reputation of UNC is at stake. This University has an out standing reputation nationwide. In all areas of academics, sports, and extra curricular activities the University excels. Imagine what other schools will think of a University whose student body presi dent wants to "get off like a big dog." Second, the Executive Branch of the Student Government performs many useful functions. An excellent example is the food service which Reckshun com plains about. Without Mike Vanden bergh's commitment, instead of the $100 mandatory meal plan we face next fall, dormitory residents could be looking for ward to 15 meals a week catered by the University. The Executive Branch found ed the Student Legal Service and more re cently, the Student Employment Service, which employs more than 700 students. We are one of the few universities in the country which has a student representa tive on the board of trustees. That means that we are represented in every decision made by the board. The Executive Branch significantly altered education policy a few years ago, when it prevented the faculty from changing the QPA require ments of the University. If there had been no Executive Branch input then, the faculty would have required a 2.75 QPA to graduate and a 2.0 QPA to stay in school each semester. Perhaps the biggest trial for the Execu tive Branch, however, will be in the up coming year. If the drinking age is raised to 21, students could be in for a few sur prises next fall. The Executive Branch has protected students' rights in this area be fore. For example, in the past the Execu tive Branch made it possible for first of fenders to take an alcohol awareness class instead of going to jail. The Executive Branch could work with the mayor and town council to prevent such strict en forcement if they could guarantee, for in stance, that 16- and 17-year-olds would not be at University social functions. Even if the Executive Branch is unsuc cessful, at least students would be aware of the policy before they were arrested. The Executive Branch could publicize the town's alcohol policy before many stu dents are rudely surprised. It is an interesting irony that the keg party that Reckshun proposes might never occur because the Executive Branch would be eliminated. This is not an argument for conform ing with all Executive Branch functions far from it. If students are upset with a particular Executive Branch function, changes should certainly be made. I am only arguing that abolishing one of the nation's most effective student govern ments is uncalled for. Ask the students at the University of Georgia,' who haven't had student government for a few years since the election of their unknown candi date. At the University of Wisconsin Madison, the student body president spent their student fees to build a huge wooden replica of the Statue of Liberty. Let's hope that we don't have to have such a huge erection. John Gibbons 338 Hinton James Reckshun the realist . To the editor: We need a Hugh G. Reckshun in cam pus government. Of all the candidates for student body president, Hugh G. has the strongest grip on reality. The major thrust of Reckshun's hard-hitting cam paign is mat Student Government is im potent, and that the abolition of the costly Executive Branch would not hurt stu dents. None of the other candidates has addressed the merits of Hugh G.'s arguments. If the experience at Cornell University is indicative, Reckshun is absolutely right. There once was a university senate at Cornell. Like the student government here, the senate was mostly sound and fury signifying nothing. The Cornell stu dent government was abolished in 1977. The abolition did not adversely affect stu dent interests. The only difference in campus life was that the university news paper no longer was filled with meaning-, less pronouncements by campus politicos. Give Reckshun the chance he needs to improve life at the University of North Carolina. Give him your vote Tuesday. Andy Feldman UNC law student Tilegate (cont'd.) To the editor: I think that District Attorney Wade Barber's statement that he plans to advo cate a general statute in the General As sembly making it a crime for state em ployees to purchase goods and services through the state is irrelevant to the Boulton case. Boulton is a University employee. Barber was quoted in The Chapel Hill Newspaper as stating that there already is a general statute applying to University employees and county em ployees. Therefore, Barber's proposal is misleading. He seems to imply that he is going to take some action to clear up a foggy area in the law. The law which is relevant to this specific case already ex ists. I think his statement serves to mask his inaction regarding this case. Kelley Whaley Chapel Hill Extend gym hours To the editor: If you need an issue for your campaign or a plank for your, platform, pay close attention to this letter. Because if you can solve this problem and guarantee that you'll improve the situation, you'll get my vote and, I'm sure, a few others, too. I noticed last weekend that Fetzer and Woollen Gyms and basketrooms are open only from 2-6 p.m. on Saturdays. This is a hew policy, and I was told that it is per manent. The hours used to be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. I don't know what warranted this cutback, but it surely could not be lack of student use of the facilities during these hours. Since no classes are held on Saturdays, it is a day when there is time to get some exercise. It is a day for those who have had a busy week to unwind in a game of basketball, racquetball, or squash, or just lift some weights. Also, with the biggest intramural sport of the year upon us (bas ketball) and a big crunch on available court time, it seems like a waste of the facilities not to have Woollen and Fetzer Gyms and basketrooms open at the above mentioned hours. And if you consider the facts that (a) more people play racquet ball during the colder months, (b) you have to call the IM office for up to half an hour sometimes to reserve a racquet ball court and (c) the court hours have now been cut,, you wonder, where the common sense is of the person who is responsible for. this. ,, . Two years ago, the facilities at Woollen Gym remained open until midnight dur ing the week (Monday-Thursday). It was a pleasure to be able to blow off some steam after a day of classes and studying and have that late night option of being able to squeeze in some exercise at the end of the day. The facilities also used to be open after home football games that year. According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness, a sound body and a sound mind are two things that go hand in hand. This University, which parallels the council's goal through strong athletics and academics, should stay consistent with its ideal and expand the hours of operation of Woollen and Fetzer Gyms for the University community. And it is the responsibility of the CAA and student body presidents to see that this gets, accomplished, if it is so the desire of the student body, which I feel it is. Howard Gross 927 Morrison Dorm B egin must choose between land and morals By LEILA DUNBAR Menachem Begin, in his quest to keep and ex pand the Golan Heights and the West Bank, has underestimated the power of his people. Israel's state commission, headed by the chief justice of its Supreme Court, this past Tuesday re leased a report which stated that top Israeli of ficials, including Begin and Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, were indirectly responsible for the Sept. 15 Beirut massacre by the Phalangist army in which hundreds of Palestinians were killed. The report stated that Israeli officials should have realized, because of the Phalangists' history of violence and unrest caused by the assassination of their new leader, Bashir Gemayel, the potential for a massacre. Begin had originally opposed the inquiry, calling it "blood libel." But a demonstration in Tel Aviv by 400,000 people made him reverse his decision. Since the publication of the report, confusion and anger have reigned in Israel. what should be his highest priority: to see, as his country is beginning to, that the holding of ter ritory is not the highest priority of Judaism, and that land claims should be subordinated to moral considerations with the Palestinians. Begin, in his try to cover up the massacre in quiry, his refusal to evacuate its forces from Leba non, and his insistence on retaining Sharon, has been belligerent and uncooperative. The Israeli people cannot trust him and he should go as well as Sharon. Can't phone home Don't touch that dial! It's going to be a lot more expensive to reach out and touch someone, since Southern Bell filed for a $145 million rate increase this past Tuesday. In Chapel Hill for instance, the rates for basic, one-party service will rise from $10.40 to $16.20. There also would be increases in phone installation, long-distance calls and local directory assistance. Southern Bell has argued that it needs the bikes in light of the recent deregulation of phone rates. THE WEEK IN REVIEW Cabinet members, Begin' s coalition and the Na tional Religious Party want Sharon to resign, as does the United States. However, Begin, some demonstrators in Jeru salem and the right-wing Tehiyva Party, which op posed a peace treaty with Egypt, want him to stay. Sharon should resign, because, as defense minister he should have realized the potential for disaster, but he ignored it. However, under Begin' s militaristic tendencies it's understandable how Sharon could easily ignore the danger. In a war climate, it's possible that officials far removed from the fighting could be thick-skinned. Brig. Gen. Amos Yaron, division commander in the Beirut district, said, "Everyone showed insensi tivity, pure and simple." Begin has let his thirst for territory interfere with Before, money generated by long-distance calls was used to subsidize local phone rates. That no longer is the case. But the company neglected to include its $19.6 million revenue from the Yellow Pages in the re quest, which was overruled by the State Supreme Court Wednesday. Southern Bell was instead go ing to recoup that money from its customers. Southern Bell also wants to raise its profits so its stock will be worth more once it goes on the market. Economically, a competitive market should be a buyer's market, because the competing firms need to lower their rates to win subscribers. But the N.C. Utilities Commission is putting the Southern Bell request on hold. A decision isn't ex pected until next September. ' So, at least for now, phoning will still be the next best thing to being there. . Bare facts One unlikely all-ACC team is causing quite a stir in the Triangle area. Playboy ran an ad in The Dai ly Tar Heel on Tuesday, asking beauties 18 years and older to try out for a place in its annual co-ed pictorial. Come September they hope to show the pride of the ACC. In Thursday's paper, a letter appeared from the Association for Women Students which con demned the DTH and called the ad "insulting and degrading to women." Sarah Lee, spokesperson of AWS, said tnat pornography objectifies the woman and in her letter implied that its existence generates more violence against women. Lee said that violent acts against women are on the rise and that women cannot walk the streets safely. She can't relate that to pornography. No one can say that it's the result of reading one too many issues of Hustler or Playboy. To cut down on materials about sexual fantasies, violence and rape, one would have to abolish not only labeled pornography, but some movies and TV shows which could as easily affect the viewer. If Lee wants to get rid of everything that ob jectifies the woman, she will have to do away with the majority of advertising. Ads try to make a woman believe if she wears this style, smokes that cigarette, uses this perfume and this eyeliner she will be more attractive. Ads also exploit men. The rough and rugged Marlboro commercials and the beekcake Vantage commercials show hunky men in suede coats; sometimes they're topless. People have the right to choose whether to read pornography or leave it alone. Unlike commer cials, it is not continually thrown in everyone's, faces. Lee essentially wants to take that right away. Pornography, in itself, does not make objects out of women. People look at each other as ob jects. Banning pornography won't change it. "BVr. WHAT AlitT THF EtfVfMY, M. PfiFStMJrT? , . rr.... The winner? Hugh G. (g for government) Reckshun, or the Lamb in Black Label clothing, proved that apathy is an effective platform when he took second in the student body president race, sandwiched between the experience and involvement candidates, Kevin Monroe and Jon Reckford. The question now is whether Reckshun can keep it up (his campaign) for the runoff scheduled for Tuesday. Reckford has thrown his support to fellow Chi Psi Monroe and it will be interesting to see who opts for Suite C and order or the Keg Par ty and anarchy. If Reckshun wins, chances are things won't change, because the CGC won't allow Reckshun to take action. Reckshun has no constitutional authority to abolish the Executive Branch: it must go on a student referendum. Reckshun probably would not even make it that far, because the CGC could impeach him in his first week, and the CGC speaker would take over, being, second in com mand. Realistically, a vote for Reckshun is a vote against rhetoric, a vote showing dissatisfaction with the inherent bureaucratic waste of govern ment. But it probably will be no more than a sym bolic voice. Student Government will go on. Do you care? Leila Dunbar, a senior journalism and Spanish major from Milford, Mass., is editorial assistant for The Daily Tar Heel.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Feb. 11, 1983, edition 1
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