8The Daily Tar HeelThursday, September 13, 1990 Wip iailg afar HM 9Sri year of editorial freedom Jessica Lanning JENNIFER WlNG, University Editor LYNETTE BLAIR, Forum Editor Cameron Tew, City Editor MYRNA MILLER, Features Editor Jamie Rosenberg, sports Editor EVAN EiLE, Photography Editor Steve Wilson, News Editor MELANIE BLACK, Layout Editor and Kelly Thompson, Editors NANCY WYKLE, University Editor Crystal Bernstein, Opinion Editor STACI COX, State and National Editor CHERYL ALLEN, Features Editor ALISA DeMaO, Omnibus Editor JOE MUHL, Photography Editor JoANN RODAK, News Editor James Claude Benton, Ombudsman Taking a tradition Banning pledge process has its consequences If you have ever wondered what a black fraternity or sorority "pledge line" looked like, you should have looked last year. Starting this fall, young black men and women dressed identically, marching in single file lines according to height will be absent from college campuses. The national black Greek organizations in order to curb hazing, banned "on line" activities and the traditional pledge process this summer. Undoubtedly, the decision was in the best interest of pledges and the organiza tions responsible for them. It is no secret that some Greeks have taken pledging too far to the point of broken bones, bruises and even death. Some organizations are facing major lawsuits, and many chapters are on probation for hazing. Yet it is under standable why some black Greeks are find ing the new ruling a hard pill to swallow. Iany found pledging, despite its flaws, a valuable and enriching experience. X One reason the pledge system will be ro'issed is the tradition and heritage that will disappear along with it. Black sorori ties and fraternities have served as the backbone of the black community since the early 1900s. The respective founders formed their groups as a chance for blacks to gather and exchange ideas. The institu tions assisted the black community socially, culturally and economically. As the founders began to induct new members, a system evolved that created bbnds between pledgees and their big brothers and sisters. Many students who v2ant to pledge have mothers, fathers, older brothers or sisters that have "crossed the sands." To be Greek in the same sense, Playing petty games Strong leadership Just when you thought it was safe to go back into Student Congress, the political squabblers almost returned. Fortunately, leaders in congress and the executive branch iept the waters calm. I Last week, representatives Todd Wyatt (Dist. 4) and Jurgen Buchenau (Dist. 3), financial committee chairman, refused to grant Student Body President Bill tfiidebolt's request for $400 to rent Carmichael Auditorium for Monday night' s student body meeting. Buchenau said dongress discourages student organizations from applying for funds after they have already put on an event. Because Hildebolt Scheduled the meeting before getting the iponey, the executive branch would simply ljiave to do without; Buchenau feared grant- fg the request would set a bad precedent. If Wyatt and Buchenau were so con cerned about bad precedents, they should have accepted the request to avoid setting an even worse one. Refusing to pay for a s udent body meeting contradicts what c Drfgress is all about representing stu d enfc. Congress members should promote sucjl events in times of crisis, not turn them ajwjy. In this case, the two representatives seerf to have put procedure before its f I B&l II Business and advertising: Kevin icnwanz, airecwr, bod oaies, BMlnessstefl:AllisonAshworth,mana0ef;Kimberty J -r r . .'....;.-. Iam Mk rnkt rnhr- rir tir n e I H008 ana una rayne, icii iviuiMy. . 1 Classified advertising: Kirslen Burkart, assistant manager; Laura Richards and Angela Spmy, assistants. I 1 mill 1 ,! n;r.-or triworticinn fnanawn-PhaH Rncuell Inraftav RinnRrWannner. Carole HedaeDeth. Came Gradv. I ! U WldflliKIUaHIU.LflWUIlllOLClll3i6i,ouuiiwiiiiiHfHywi,iiiuwwv..,.-.i,-.B " ' . ' Mimf Holman Tracy King. Tina Parish. Sherrie Davis and Kim Solomon, account representatives; Kim Blass, creative airecwr, Heatner anniSier, Keiiy BOnan, UnriS Deify, Mduuem Layiun aim oiaujr iuiiw-i, joisj u. 1 r- ! m .1.1 iii.ii.Mi Dili 1 aita mimnir Anita Rantlou Chad Pamnhpll Grfn Miller and I orrifi Pate. DrOallCtlOn assistants. nQVClUSIIiy prUUUUIIUII. Dill l-OOHO. uiaiiuyvi , m .swi.iwj, w..- it I Assistant editors: Randy Basinger, arts cooramawr, raren uennis, inhanna Honriprcnn an .lennv Cloninaer. ombudsman; Charles UWIIUIIIIU I limmvii w v.."; O O'Nefcl, state and national; Stephanie Johnston, university. . t I is : n-.... .niJ Ami. rtai.j 1 ntW3Ciems. tCVIII Dieiilidii anu runy ut"- Editorial writers: Crystal Bernstein. Lynette Blair and Tim Little. t ..... n':i... ri:..kh d,h lonnifar riunlan Thnmac Dionne Loy Brian Lynne Kenny Monteith. Shannon 0'Grady. Jennifer Pilla. Michelle Smith. Aimee Watson. Lee Weeks and Came Wells. ( f i.n!..r nt.n,' k'rie nnnhno FiiyahPth Mnrrav Frik Ronfirs. Christine Thomas. Sharon Till and Peter Wallsten. 1 stain and Natinnai- w"pnri Rounds. David Etchison. Kevin Greene. ArS-Kitt Bockley. John Freeman. Mondy Lamb. Philip Mcadoo, and Jessica Yates. Features: Noah Bartolucci. Randy Basinger. Pete Bustetter. trie eoiasn. unnsiy uunroy. m.o. udyacm.du. cuum ..,a.a kristin Leioht. Scott Maxwell. Ginaer Meek. Mary Moore-Parham. Christina Nifong. Heather Smith. Stephanie Spiegal. Beth Tatum. Laura Williams and Dawn Wilson. . . I Sports: Kenny Abner Neil Amato, Jason Bates. John Biana. a. j. brown, nooen orown. uiumc ui iuc. c. . ny ",,0., David Kupstas. Bethany Litton. Bobby McCroskey. Brock Page. Eric Wagnon and Steve Walston. I Photography: Milton Artis. Kevin Burgess. Steven Exum. Jim Holm. Cheryl Kane. Caroline Kmcaid. Sarah King. Kathy Michel. Edward Moorhouse, Keith Nelson and Greg Thacker. I Layout: Christy Conroy, Lara Spence, Jeff Workman and Doug Zemel. . 5 Copy Editors: Maureen Ahmad. Bob Boyette. B Buckberry, Hardy Floyd. Lorrin Freeman. Melissa Grant, Stephanie Harper . Angela H.M. Sarah Kirkman. Jennifer Kurfees. Wendy Lee. Robin Lentz. Amy McCarter. Gillie Murphy. Emily Nicholl, Susan Pearsall, Natalie Poole. Kristin Scheve, Amy Seeley. Natalie Sekicky, Angela Spivey and Clare Weickert. I canoomsis: Miex ue uranu, onus ucricc, uaviu tsiuyc auu taitonai Production: btacy wynn. manager; oranaon rue, dwsiam. Distribution: RDS Carriers. Printing: Village Printing. Ombudsman: James Benton. Phone: 962-0245; Office hours: Fri.: The Daily Tar Heel is published by the DTH Publishing Corp.. a UnivBrsity cslcndsr j Callers with questions about billing or display advertising should rlached at 962-0252. Editorial questions should be directed to 962 T Office: Suite 1 Campus mail address: CB 5210 Box 49, Carolina Union these hopefuls want to go "on line" also Without pledging, the bonding that pledges experience "on line" will be lost. There really is a reason for pledges to walk alike, shave their heads or refrain from certain activities. By doing so, line mem bers must cooperate closely, a process that allows each person to discover strengths and weaknesses about himself or herself. There are no individuals; only the best interest of the group matters. Many Greeks feel this experience can apply later in their careers and lives in general. The pledge process serves as the final test to prove who really wants to belong. It is the time when potential members learn the history and background of the organi zation they seek to join. Now that the pledge process is gone, when will the ma terial be learned? Later or never? Black Greeks don't want to see their chapters fall into the hands of those who only desire to wear letters or gain popularity. They want members who know their organization's past and thus can take it into the future. Wiping out the pledge process will have its consequences. This is not to say that the decision wasn't right. Becoming a part of a sisterhood or brotherhood shouldn't end in tragedy. As one Greek put it, if just one life is saved from the 'no-pledge' ruling, then the change will be well worth it. And per haps something even better can be found that will not only be safe, but create strong bonds between new members as well. But for those who know the benefits of the pledge process and what it is really supposed to be about, it will be greatly missed. Lynette Blair may spare congress purpose. Ironically, procedure should have given executive branch the money. Because there was little justification for the denial, Hildebolt and Heyd feared that Wyatt and Buchenau were playing politi cal games, something congress members such as former Speaker Gene Davis and former Representative Jeffrey Beall did frequently last year. Rather than continu ing such games, the four leaders met this week to resolve the issue instead of bring ing it before last night s congress meeting Student government is lucky to have stronger leadership this year. Heyd said last night that he refuses to tolerate such game playing and that he wants to make congress more task and goal oriented. Student leaders should listen to these words of wisdom and warning. Campus organizations, especially branches of student government, have little time for games. More than ever before student leaders must devote their time to serving student needs and fighting budget cuts instead of petty political squabbling. Unity is crucial to saving this University's existence. If last year's divisions in student government continue this fall, students only stand to lose. Jessica Lanning auveiusmy uhclwi, lcsmc uumymcy, wmi ..10,101... "-"f . . r .ui-t.; 11 . 1 1 ;a.. iayoui, uoug reiyubuu, vu-m nyman, icuco, u.oa uuum;, Marshall. Omnibus; Mark Anderson and Scott Gold. sportsGlenn Hpnh nnrnlun Hir.kev Mp.rP.nith HoafJ. Stacev KaD an. bUSie KatZ. Mark Griffin, Andre Hauser. Eric Lusk, Kyle York Spencer and Grant Greg Miller. Brian Springer. Jeff Trussell. LisaWeckerle, Beverley White .. .. c.:,k.ku.i .,. i . ...-.u... ... u. n..u uunv... Mon.: 1-5 p.m., Tue. and Thur.: 11 a.m.-4 p.m; Wed.: 3:30-5 p.m., 1-3 p.m. non-profit North Carolina corporation. Monday-Friday, according to the dial 962-1 163 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Classified ads can be - 02450246. 04 Carolina Union U.S. Mall address: P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3257 Bodqe-f- cuts are faking -their toll c (7h on UN C , until one o 'he world's rf&) J -v3L noos successful cowpancs Prf I IvC XT ivri budget problems air... II I N r l A V CCT- ( J I XS uiha r. v yis0 J College is JIeff AlAxim DTH 0 . U.S. needs to keep an eye on judicial home front TT C Cimrotnp Cniwrf Viae Vvn fzrf- TllV UUl ViliV XVWA lr ww ww cially controversial during the last couple of years. From the constitution ality of abortion to flag burning, the Supreme Court has made its share of friends and foes. Many Americans are particularly concerned about the balance of the court, because its decisions have been increasingly conservative, a result of several Republican appointments. I was disappointed when I found out Justice William Brennan was retiring from the court in late July. This meant President Bush would have the opportunity of nominating the fifth justice, who would more than likely be con servative. The Bush Court. Oh, woe is me and the country, I thought. The nominee to replace Justice Brennan was announced days later. Did the name David H. Souter ring any of your collective bells? It didn't ring mine when I first heard of him, either. So what makes this guy, a virtual un known, especially qualified for the country's highest court? On a personal level, Souter is 50 years old and bears a striking resemblance to the cartoon character Mr. Magoo, especially when his hair is oil-slicked to the side. He's never been married but says he is not homosexual. He's a quiet man who seems to be a slave to his career, a career which is impressive. Souter had been appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals just months before becoming a Supreme Court nominee. He started as a pri vate lawyer in Concord, N.H., then worked his way up to attorney general and then the state's Criticizing students only hinders change Editors' note: This letter is a response to a Sept. 11 editorial titled 'A missed opportunity' . To the editors: I wish the world were so simple, but one meeting alone cannot de termine that students are in an "apathetic stupor," nor can it solve the budget crisis. At the meeting on Monday night, students, ad ministrators and faculty presented many excellent suggestions as to what we can do and those who attended benefited first hand. But let those of us who went not waste our time in a frenzy of self-congratulation. Get off your soapbox and get moving! Condemning and alienating the student body is pointless. Most of the work is left to be done and we need everyone's help to do it. Everyone should write to their legislators, register to vote and vote in November. Now is the real test of apathy. STEPHANIE VON ISENBURG Senior Art History Writer fails to prove point against Helms To the editors: As I was reading through The Daily Tar Heel today, I noticed an editorial entitled, "Helms ignores purpose of art by targeting NEA" (Sept. 12). As a person who is growing weary of the constant negative coverage this and many other newspapers are giving Sen. Helms, I felt that it was my duty to respond to this article with a dif ferent perspective on the issue. Although I do not see the con nection that Madison makes be tween Spanish and Italian muse ums that tastefully, not graphically, display the human body, Sen. Helms is not against art. He is against the taxpayers spending hard-earned money to finance graphic images of homosexual behavior. This is hardly art; this is something off the smut rack at the local convenience store. I have no problem with a person viewing such material; it is their right under the Constitution to express them selves in any legal way they see fit. Kimberley Maxwell supreme court. He is a graduate of Harvard University, both for his undergraduate and law degrees, and was also a Rhodes scholar. The Iraq-Kuwait conflict has pushed this Supreme Court nomination out of the head lines. Although there is a possibility of war in the Middle East, no doubt a few missiles and gunshots will be fired in the Senate during the Souter hearings scheduled to begin Thursday. 1 3ing (no pun intended) from Souter's record, he is qualified for the position. But the strategy President Bush used to select this nominee is classic. I don't particularly care for Bush, but I must give him credit on this one. Souter's record on the more pressing issues of the Court are unknown, just like he is. Initial opposition to Souter was hollow because he has not written opinions about the major judicial controversies which would face him on the Supreme Court. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to deduce that Souter's views are similar to those of President Bush. Sen. Joseph Biden, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has said the committee will ask specific questions about Souter's ide ology in his conformation hearings. This will directly challenge Bush's strategy of "pick a quiet guy and let him slide through the confir mation." And Souter, in anticipation for the KEAEBEKS9 F0MJEU1 However, there are other people who do not agree with the govern ment spending money on the ad vancement of the arts through such artists as Robert Mapplethorpe. There is also another point that Madison made to which I see no connection. That is concerning the issue of censorship of music. His attempt to parallel Hank Williams Jr., who sings of love and how he is proud of his southern heritage, and such choice groups as 2 Live Crew, who sing about graphic sexual re lations with women and how sexually stimulated they are feel ing, was unsuccessful. If this was made to be an effective point for open-mindedness, then it was a very futile one. Freedom of ex pression is one thing, but freedom of degradation is something that cannot be allowed if this country is going to uphold any of the moral ity that our forefathers believed in and fought for. CULLEY CARSON Freshman Political Science Charlotte residents boast more than crime Editors' note: This letter is in response to a Sept. 12 editorial 'Bigger isn't always better' . I am writing this letter to thank Tim Little for his glowing review of the city of Charlotte. Once again, it seems as if there are always people unhappy with Charlotte's success. As a resident of Charlotte, I would like to point out some other areas besides population for which the residents of Charlotte are justifiably proud: 1. Schools The Charlotte Mecklenburg school system is one of the largest in the state. While Little is quick to point out the acts of violence that Charlotte's youth are prone to, they are generally exceptions to the rule. Our school board continuously has discipline as one of its highest priorities. While our schools are relatively very safe, can the same be said for urban schools in c ; ,uch as Atlanta or New Yoik Many prominent Charlotteans got their start in the school board, i.e. Dr. Jay Robinson, who left as superintendent to become vice president of public affairs for the UNC system. Charlotte also boasts a fine collegiate atmosphere with UNC-C serving as the centerpiece for University Research Park. UNC-C is quickly becoming a quality academic as well as re search institution. 2. Cultural Charlotte, because of its size, is able to attract many varied cultural outlets. The Mint Museum of Art holds national touring exhibitions on a regular basis. Uptown Charlotte currently offers Spirit Square, an arts-center type facility, and will soon be able to host events in a new arts center facility to be built by the city. The Charlotte Coliseum holds concerts regularly and for those with more acquired tastes, there is always the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. We even acquired a drum and bugle corps this summer. 3. Medical With recent ad ditions to both Presbyterian Hos pital and Carolinas Medical Cen ter, Charlotte now has the finest medical care available in the state, excluding of course UNC Hospi tals and Duke. We have the busiest ER and trauma center in the state, surpassing even Duke Medical Center. This summer, Charlotte received national headlines for the first fetal heart transplant in the region. In the next decade, Char lotte will be able to hold its own with such renowned hospitals as Duke, the Mayo Clinic and others. 4. Sports The ACC Men's Basketball tournament for the next three years. NCAA Southeast Regionals this year. NCAA Final Four action in 1994. The Charlotte Barons minor league football team. NASCAR racing at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Charlotte Heat team tennis. UNC-C basketball. The Diet Pepsi Tournament of Champions (which North Carolina hosts this year). The Charlotte Hornets NBA franchise. And, lest I forget, the possibility of profes sional football in our brand-new uptown stadium as well as the possibility of World Cup soccer. All of this is possible because of Charlotte's growth and population. So, Mr. Little, you see that there is more to Charlotte than just numbers and massive crime sta tistics. Yes, we did have a police man get shot in the line of duty this past summer. What you fail to re alize is that police fatalities are showdown on the Hill (Capitol Hill, not Chapel Hill), has been studying the most current and pertinent constitutional issues in private. He's also been watching videotapes of previous hearings, particularly those of Robert Bork, Reagan's highly unsuccessful nominee. As the media concentrate on Saddam Hussein, many people seem to have forgotten the im portance of Souter's nomination, and the fact that this decision will change the direction of the court. I have no doubts that Roe vs. Wade (1973) will be reversed, limiting or even outlawing abortion. Other upcoming Supreme Court cases will involve desegregation (a currently deseg regated school system wants adopt a neighbor hood attendance plan instead of busing stu dents, which would probably cause resegregation) and women's rights (a company wants to exclude fertile women from jobs that could damage the health of a fetus). These cases directly challenge important, Constitutional questions that will affect the majority of Ameri cans. Perhaps the United States is headed for war in the Middle East it's tough to tell. But one thing's for sure. Souter's confirmation hearings will be a "war" here at home, especially con sidering that the future of the Supreme Court will influence life in this country for years to come. Kimberley Maxwell is a senior journalism and political science major from Marietta, Ga. quite rare in our city as are any injuries relating to the job. Compare our crime statistics concerning police with those of cities such as New York or Ch icago and you w i 1 1 see quite a difference. Just as in any other urban envi ronment, crime is but one of a number of problems. Massive transportation difficulties, a heavy influx of drugs and declining educational scores are all problems that Charlotte faces. But compare that with the pluses mentioned above, and you will see just a few of the reasons why so many people have decided to make Charlotte their home. Charlotte has hung together like a small town so that we now have a nice blend of big city feel with small-town homeiness. Thank you for your congratula tions, Mr. Little. Charlotte has come a long way. You should be happy for our success instead of focusing on a few bad apples. Af ter all, the Queen City's success and growth translate into added success, growth and improved image for North and South Caro lina and that is something everyone can be proud of. MICHAEL TYE Senior Psychology Pit preachers serve a purpose on campus To the editors: I am more than a little tired of the incessant "pit preacher" bash ing that is printed on this page. What is the problem here? For the most part, pit preachers are espousing their beliefs in a confident manner in front of a usually apathetic (and sometimes hostile) crowd. We should admire their courage and perseverance. More basically, they do some thing. They shake up the status quo and remind us that some people are still alive and showing some emotion. To borrow from Kerouac: We have enough people who "yawn and some common-place things"; we could do with more who "burn, burn, burn, ..." MICHAEL SHERMAN Graduate Statistics