The Daily Tar HeelMonday, December 4, 19899
Opinion
Pot Penthouse
back on sal
e,
a mm
We all know the freedoms for which
the citizens of Eastern Europe are today
marching, protesting and disrupting
their lives. Those freedoms are appre
ciated and protected by American col
lege students and administrations,
among others. Authoritarian censor
ship would never be tolerated here.
Students on a leading American col
lege campus would not permit a Com
munist functionary to tell them, "You
can' t buy this book here." After all, that
right is the essence of a quality educa
tion and every citizen's most funda
mental freedom.
So what did you think when you first
saw the report that Rutledge Tufts had
removed Penthouse magazine from the
shelves of the UNC Student Stores and
Circus Room? It had no "literary con
tent," he said, unlike Playboy which
contained "work by mainstream au
thors and some cutting-edge articles."
Could Mr. Tufts be right? Whether
he meant them literally or figuratively,
do his statements hold water? Or, is he
simply a censor? Should his action be
tolerated? Let's see.
Each month Penthouse magazine
carries various columns giving voice to
different views. Alan Dershowitz,
Harvard law professor, writes a monthly
column on justice; Jerome Tuccille,
author of numerous books and articles
on money matters, writes a monthly
finance column; B.D. Colen, Pulitzer
prize winning science reporter, writes a
monthly column on smart sex; Gary
Null, nationally recognized medical
issues expert, writes a monthly health
column; Marcia Pally, women's rights
advocate, writes a monthly column on
film; Sidney Siller, the attorney who
founded the National Organization for
Men, writes a monthly men's rights
column; and Emily Prager, humorist
and social commentator, writes a col
umn that takes a critical look at our
world. Mary Stuart (the first female
president of Vietnam Vets of Amer
ica), Julie Nixon Eisenhower, and base
ball umpire Pam Postern have all been
profiled in our women column. Cam
pus View is written by and is for and
about college students, with contribu
tors from coast-to-coast and Canada.
No "literary content"? That holds wa
ter like a sieve.
Over the last two years, Penthouse
has carried the latest fiction by many
well-known authors, including William
F. Buckley Jr., James Michener, Tom
Clancy, Victoria Joyce, Ed McBain,
Kingsley Amis, Ken Follett and An
thony Burgess. Presumably, Mr. Tufts
does not consider these people main
stream authors. No "literary content"?
Looks like a deluge to me.
Some of you may even have heard of
Art Harris, Washington Post investiga
tive reporter, or Steven Emerson, for
mer U.S. News & World Report jour
nalist, or Tad Szulc, former New York
Times correspondent, or Michele
Mayron, Jerusalem Post correspondent,
or Nat Hentoff, Village Voice con
tributor and nationally recognized First
Amendment advocate, or Gerald
president says
On the Hill owner responds to
Last week I was given an envelope
of articles that had been written about
On The Hill which I read with great
interest. Although I had been telephone
interviewed numerous times, ques
tioned about operational policies and
told of allegations by certain custom-
ers, I assumed that my explanations
. 1 j :r. . j
would rectify the misunderstandings
But as I read the articles chronologi
cally, it was apparent that my state
ments had been ignored.
Let's start with why On The Hill
exists. I grew up a few blocks from
Chapel Hill Boulevard in Durham. My
first recollection of Chapel Hill was
when I was five years old and took my
swimming lessons at the University
natatorium and I was told my father had
attended UNC where he played foot
ball and was in a fraternity. I was given
a T-shirt that said "I'm a Carolina Tar
Heel" and thus the basis for a dyed-in-the-wool
Carolina fan. When I was
nine years old I started selling ice cream
sandwiches at every home football game
and began to identify with the glamour
of Chapel Hill. I scribbled UNC on
anything that didn't move and anything
else that would stand still long enough.
I remember one night when I was 1 6
years old seeing my first live band on
the porch of Graham Memorial across
from the street from On The Hill. It was
then that I became interested in the
entertainment industry.
After seven years of being a corpo
rate pawn, I found myself in private
business with a restaurant and bar and
later with an additional night club. This
was too much for one person, so I sold
the first bar and focused on the college
night club in Raleigh.
I started the ACC Tavern in January
1 984 with a strict dress code and set the
music format of beach and Top 40. The
three girls' schools, fraternities, and
sororities were targeted. The club has
always been veiy successful.
David J. Myerson
Guest Writer
Posner, author of a book on Nazi Jo
seph Mengele, or Steven King, a best
selling author. All of these are main
stream writers whose work appeared in
Penthouse. No "literary content"? This
could be the equivalent of another 40
day flood. (Do you think if Mr. Tufts
doesn't like the book that story came
from, UNC students would be unable
to buy it, too?)
Finally, there is the "cutting-edge."
Mr. Tufts' decision will deny UNC
students the opportunity to buy upcom
ing issues of Penthouse. A House
committee announced on Nov. 17, 1989
that it was postponing its investigation
into activities of Massachusetts Rep.
Barney Frank until it could read an
article on Frank to be published in
Penthouse. The dam has burst run
for the hills, Rutledge. That is "literary
content" by anyone's standards.
And we ought not forget sex. It's
something that warrants open discus
sion. Without sex there wouldn't even
be a Rutledge Tufts.
UNC students should now under
stand the real problem with censorship.
People like Rutledge Tufts who either
don't read, can't read, can't remember
or have alternative agendas decide
what's available on book shelves. They
decide that Penthouse does not meet
the "literary content" standard they set
and perhaps only they understand. Do
you believe anyone benefits when
sources of information are cut off by
such a mind?
Would UNC students permit their
faculty to let someone with these ideas
control the texts of courses in English,
philosophy or history? I think not. Well,
let me tell you something. When UNC
students permit the administration to
let that kind of person limit what they
can buy in their campus book store,
they suffer no less.
Indeed, each of you may well suffer
more. Because in the classroom there is
open discourse and discussion. But
when you are denied materials outside
of the classroom, someone is limiting
your scope of knowledge and you have
no recourse!
So, it would appear that "literary
content" is all in the eye of the be
holder. And that is the real lesson to be
learned here. When the right to deter
mine which writings are "acceptable"
is delegated, you give up your most
precious freedom that of deciding
for yourself what ideas or expressions
and thoughts are of value. If you want
that kind of world move to Eastern
Europe. But do it quickly, with luck it
will soon be different there, too.
Access is freedom. The East Euro
peans know that, and so should you.
Put Penthouse back on sale.
David J. Myerson is the president of
Penthouse International Ltd.
John W. Hopkins
Guest Writer
I always wanted a club in Chapel
Hill, but the driving time was prohibi-
. -
tive until Interstate 40 opened. An
opportunity developed on Franklin
Street when an acquaintance opened a
club in February 1989 (Down Under)
but soon decided he didn't like the
night club business and asked me to
purchase it.
I had gotten a close friend of mine
and former em- HgBHiBBHHn
ployee, Sheila .
Brown, a job there Many aftlCleS
when it opened.
Ma?" were written
UNC and didn't
want to leave that Said
Chapel Hill. I
wanted to help her
get started in busi
ness so, I asked her
if she wanted to
manage the club.
She said she did,
discrimination is
wrong. I agree.
so On The Hill was born.
Sheila liked alternative music and
thought with a DJ and dance floor she
could develop an adequate crowd to
support the cause. May is a tough month
to start in a college town but with hard
work, devotion and supplemental loans
until July, the business became suc
cessful and many UNC stude pa
tronized On The Hill.
The summer crowds were mixed with
all segments including a small percent
age of alternative dressers. The first of
September, Sheila told me she had hired
a fellow to work the door who stated
that he was homosexual. He seemed to
be honest and a good employee. That
was fine with me. Each week thereafter
Camoys Y oeeck to omte
An important yet unnoticed event
occurred on Nov. 14, when the Net
work for Minority Issues (NMI) spon
sored a discussion of race relations as
part of Human Rights Week '89. A
panel of five outstanding students led
the forum, and 20 others participated in
a constructive, if heated, discussion.
Though the numbers were small, the
issues addressed and the directions
taken were a definite triumph over the
general apathy I am used to experienc
ing on campus, including that within
myself. In a very emotional hour and a
half, I learned enough about those
around me to squelch the hesitation I
have felt when confronting the issue of
racism, and to actively commit myself
to exploring and ending it at UNC. The
forum, for me, was a step in the right
direction, but as I left the Union and
stepped into the Campus Y, I felt an
overwhelming sense of humility and
discouragement. As co-chair of Hu
man Rights Week, I felt an enormous
challenge.
For many years, the Campus Y has
been known as the center for student
service and action at UNC, an outlet for
motivated people to work towards social
justice. Excellent work has been done
by Y members, from the boycotts and
sit-ins of the 60s to the sleep-outs and
environmental consciousness of the 80s.
This year we are seeing a growing
visibility of Campus Y efforts, indica
tive of the wealth of energy thriving in
the alternative dressers became larger
in number until our more conserva
tively dressed customers complained
and gradually diminished. Revenue de
clined until it was apparent something
had to be done.
After discussing the situation with
the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Commission's Legal Department, I
chose to change the music format and
implement a dress code prohibiting all
black clothing. The changes were ef
fective in my effort to re-target my
original core-concept clientele. My goal
was to re-target the mainstream major
ity. I realize now that this dress code, in
mPH such a liberal envi
ronment as Chapel
Hill, unintentionally
offended some
people.
I discovered that
the gay community
thought they were
being discriminated
against. In each
interview I was
questioned about
discrimination and I
repeatedly ex
plained my core-
concept clientele and re-targeting ef
forts. Apparently, my answers fell on
deaf ears. The group was determined to
accuse On The Hill of discriminating
against homosexuals in order to have
their favorite music played even if it
meant tabloid journalism.
I do not feel that On The Hill prac
ticed discrimination. I employ person
nel from a variety of groups, including
homosexuals, blacks, Orientals, ath
letes, females, males, N.C. State stu
dents and Caucasians.
Now if an employee on his own
accord wore a certain T-shirt that was
inappropriate, then he was wrong, but
that was corrected as soon as the man
ager saw the T-shirt.
Bethany Chaney
Guest Writer
the 33 committees. But as the Y ap
proaches its 130th year of social action,
let us not be too quick to celebrate.
Despite high morale, busy agendas and
wonderful intentions, the Campus Y is
stagnating in a predominantly white,
privilege-ridden groupthink.
The Campus Y became a truly inter
racial organization when members such
as Anne Queen and John Donne were at
the center of civil rights activity and
integration in Chapel Hill. The leader
ship was innovative, and student power
and influence was the primary source
of energy and change on campus. Prog
ress true progress was made with
enormous cooperative efforts between
students of different races and socio
economic backgrounds. Chapel Hill
became a progressive oasis in a reac
tionary South. Something has since
happened. Chapel Hill has moved along
quite rapidly, ignoring the voluntary
segregation and subtle institutionalized
racism in town and on campus. Cam
pus and community standards are noth
ing more than the status quo, a compla
cency which has blinded students and
citizens alike. The movement toward
any true sense of social consciousness
has faded away. At the Campus Y, the
criticism
If a doorman charged a higher cover
charge, as alleged, and it wasn't be
cause of age, sex or time (which vary
depending) then that doorman may have
acted on his own accord. If so, that was
wrong and I'm sure it has been cor
rected since Oct. 3 1 , when I personally
took control of the club.
The real tragedy of this misnomer
however, is the injustice done to Sheila
Brown, a young, aspiring entrepreneur
who had an opportunity of a lifetime.
She was on salary and had a percentage
of the profits with an option to purchase
the business.
Financial institutes do not loan
money for such ventures; therefore,
very few have the opportunity. The
pressure brought upon her was too much
to bear and the loss of revenue caused
her to think she was incapable of being
in the night club business. So, who
owes whom an apology?
Since I'm at the top, I'll apologize
for any of my employee's mistakes, if
they made any. And if they did, they
had the best interest of the business in
their heart.
The dress code has not been used
since the new music format was imple
mented and there have not been any
discriminatory policies toward homo
sexuals at On The Hill, to my knowl
edge, nor do they exist currently.
Many articles were written and they
all share a common thread: Discrimi
nation is wrong. I agree. It is obvious
from my employment record that I do
not practice discrimination.
I apologize for any misinterpretation
of our efforts to re-target my original
core-concept clientele, who are simply
the majority of Chapel Hill's residents
who are students. This target is simply
based on revenue, and I hope everyone
will find On The Hill a place to enjoy.
John Hopkins is the owner of On The
Hill.
movement has been replaced by an
honest and eager cheerleader mental
ity, a sense of hope, welfare and future.
But where is the reality, and the now?
It has taken our generation at UNC
far too long to realize that nothing will
ever get done on campus without a
major unifying effort, a restructuring of
sorts, as a precondition. The Campus Y
is the perfect place to initiate a new
unity, and it would be unfair to say that
members have not already tried. NMI
and Students for the Advancement of
Race Relations (SARR), for example,
are two of the most involved and visible
committees on campus. NMI work
shops and SARR's Race Relations
Week are important events, creating
awareness and promoting dialogue
towards change. However, their effec
tiveness is hampered by a lack of vocal
and active follow-up support from the
other 3 1 Y committees, and also by the
apprehension exhibited by other stu
dents through lack of participation.
The lack of minority participation is
especially understandable, as it is diffi
cult to truly respect an organization
such as the Y when goals and realities
are so contradictory. Specifically, while
we all hold high our banners and inter
lock our hands, we cannot shake the
stereotypical image that Y members
have fostered. We are above-average,
middle-class, pretty white and pretty
naive a microcosm of suburbia. This
stereotype could be very well contested
if it were not for its institutionalization
in the Y leadership. All but four of the
Executive Committee are white, none
are black and all but two are Morehead
scholars. Of the 60 or so committees
co-chairs, very few are minority stu
dents, and only two of these are black.
The leadership, then, is very incompat
ible and elitist for many students who
otherwise would like to get involved at
the Campus Y.
Many members have recognized the
need for internal change in both the
structure and the consistency of the Y,
yet very few are willing to talk about
this need publicly, with the Division of
Student Affairs, or even with the pro
Dialing, denouncing,
defecting and dancing
"Let's finally do something that
the students can touch, that they can
feel that they can dial. Student
Congress . Rep. Jurgen Buchenau,
expressing his support in Thursday's
meeting for a bill to provide tele
phones for free local calls in the
Undergraduate and Davis libraries.
"She is superbly well qualified.
She specializes in African-American
folklore, is a distinguished scholar
and an excellent teacher. Dr. Harris
is a person of great intelligence and
energy." Gillian Cell, dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences, speak
ing about the recommendation of Eng
lish Professor Trudier Harris for chair
woman of the curriculum in African
American studies. The recommenda
tion came after a four-year search for
a permanent leader.
" am very happy because I am
here in America. I wanted for a long
time to come here, but I didn't have
anyone to help me." Olympic
gymnast Nadia Comaneci, speaking
on her arrival at Kennedy Airport in
grate
fessional staff. Discussion among the
Executive Committee members is in
excusably isolated, and, where it exists,
communication between the staff, the
Exec and the cabinet is wholly ineffec
tive. Various fears are plaguing those
who can institute the needed changes
fear of being conspicuous, bold, true
leaders in every sense of the word.
Hence, the challenge: It is now
time to take a stand. It is now time that
student leadership at the Campus Y
regain the strength lost through years of
conformity to standards we have not
developed ourselves. It is time to gain
strength through integration not just
in terms of interracial involvement at
the Y, but in terms of our interaction
within other groups and organization
that may need the support that Y mem
bers can provide. It is time to break
free of our false social consciousness
and the fear of real change that is
relegating our activism to no more
than a penance. It is time to take risks.
Race relations at UNC are at a turn
ing point, and the issues at stake are no
longer cut and dry, nor black and white.
It is imperative that minority involve
ment in all aspects of student activism
increase, not merely at the Campus Y.
NMI and SARR cannot move forward
without a firm and active commitment
from all groups on campus, beginning
with those in the Campus Y. Are we
ready to avidly promote unity on cam
pus, and to defend the rights of all
students here and in their homelands?
Are we ready to do so regardless of
public opinion, self-consciousness and
self-denial? I am, as are the other
members of the Campus Y Human
Rights Committee, but we need more
help. For the future of student activism,
the Campus Y and the University of
North Carolina, we must all assert our
leadership, and take the bold steps
necessary to combat racism institu
tionalized and not or be forever
buried in our own apathetic inactivity.
Bethany Chaney is a senior intern
disciplinary studies major from
Chapel Hill
Week in Quotes
New York, four days after she de
fected from Romania.
"Alvin Ailey was a giant among ,
American artists, a towering figure,
on the international dance scene. His
works have elated and moved audi
ences throughout the world. His spirit
soars in his creations and he has
enriched and illuminated our lives."
Gerald Arpino, artistic director of
the Joffrey Ballet, speaking after the
58-year-old founder of the Alvin Ailey .
American Dance Theater died Friday
from a blood disease.
"It sounds maybe a little better,
but it's, you know, hard to tell."
President George Bush, speaking on
the latest developments in the Philip
pines, where President Ccrazon
Aquino was trying to put down a coup
by rebel army troops. Bush ordered
the deployment of U.S. air power to
the Philippines to help Aquino.
f