oVThe Daily Tar HeelWednesday, November 6, 1 991
98th year of editorial freedom
Jennifer
Stephanie Johnston, University Editor
CULLEN FERGUSON, Editorial Page Editor
Mark Anderson, Sports Editor
CHRISTINA NlFONG, Features Editor
Alex De GRAND, Cartoon Editor
MrrCH KOKAI, Copy Desk Editor
Grant HALVERSON, Photography Editor
MATTHEW ElSLEY, Special Assignments Editor
WlNG, Edi tor
Steve Politi, University Editor
PETER WALLSTEN, City Editor
DaCIA TOLL, State and National Editor
MONDY LAMB, Omnibus Editor
Jennifer Dickens, Layout Editor
Amy SEELEY, Copy Desk Editor
KATHY MlCHEL, Photography Editor
JoAnn RODAK, Managing Editor
HEtio v-w i rr id i mum w f- s mj,
Support UNC's support services
Many University housekeepers live less
than ideal lives cut off from the Ameri
can Dream by poor working conditions and
abysmal wages.
Housekeepers earn the below-poverty-level
salary of about $1 1,000 a year, and
they have not received a raise in the past
two years. Coupled with rising prices, this
low pay will continue to be mired below
the poverty level. In order to provide for
themselves and their families, many house
keepers work additional jobs and live in
low-income housing but still have trouble
paying the bills. And the housekeepers'
working conditions are getting steadily
worse; when workers quit, the University
has trouble attracting new employees with
its $1 1,000-a-year offer, so many house
keepers are required to do twice as much
work for the same low salaries.
In response to these dire circumstances,
a group of about 30 housekeepers filed a
grievance last spring protesting low pay
and lack of advancement opportunities.
Earlier this month, some of the group mem
bers pursued the grievance to Step 3. That
grievance will be heard by a panel of Uni
versity officials outside the housekeeping
department.
. A group of housekeepers met with su
pervisors and University officials last week
to discuss problems faced on the job. In the
meeting, housekeepers asked for supervi
sors to increase wages and provide better
training opportunities and a voice in man
agement. But the meeting failed to resolve
the conflicts. Housekeeping assistant
Marsha Tinnen said after the meeting that
she didn't think the supervisors were very
interested in housekeeper concerns. "But
they'll do anything to get you out of their
face, she said.
However futile it may seem, the house
keepers have begun the battle for better
wages and working conditions. Now is the
time for students to join the fight. Campus
Y members already have given their sup
port to the housekeeping staff, meeting last
week with a group of housekeepers to
discuss how the groups can work together.
Similarly, the Sonja Stone Task Force,
Students for the Advancement of Race
Relations and the Student Environmental
Action Coalition have made efforts to help
the housekeepers spread their message.
Other students should follow the example
of these groups: The housekeepers need
student support to help organize and publi
cize their struggle.
University housekeepers are in desper
ate need of support, and students are the
very group to provide it. Students have a
chance to make a difference, to make
people's lives more livable. Joining the
housekeepers' fight is not the duty of the
politically minded or the overly sensitive;
rather, it is the duty of every person. The
housekeepers' goals are tangible reason
able ones, and student support could be the
factor that helps them become realized.
A group is being oppressed within the
confines of the University. Will students
do anything about it? Or will students ig
nore the housekeepers' struggles as they
clean our bathrooms?
Keeping the dream alive
For the first time since the February
murder of political activist Bob Sheldon,
there is some good news for Sheldon's
store, Internationalist Books. Parents
Howard and Dorothy Sheldon gave the
bookstore to the volunteers who have run it
since their son's death.
Although police say Sheldon's murder
probably was part of a bungled robbery,
some have suggested that the death could
have been related to Sheldon's vocal oppo
sition to the Persian Gulf War, which was
in its darkest days at the time of the murder.
They cite a threatening phone call Sheldon
received shortly before his death as pos
sible proof of this motive.
After Sheldon's death there was talk of
closing the bookstore because of fears of
further political violence, but Sheldon's
friends and fellow political activists in
Chapel Hill decided a more fitting tribute
to him would be to keep the store open and
true to Sheldon's philosophy of liberal
political activism.
This they did with a vengeance, setting
up the Internationalist Books Committee
and appointing a n ine-member board to run
the store, which reopened as a taxable,
non-profit corporation six weeks after
Sheldon's death.
Although the future of the store was
always uncertain, volunteers worked hard
to make it more successful and business
like, donating a computer and several other
items the bookstore needed to operate.
Today the list of volunteers is so long that
potential workers have to wait for openings
to work a shift at the store. The only thing
the bookstore lacked was security with
the store's new owners living in Colorado
Springs, Colo., there was always the possi
bility that the store would be closed, sold or
moved. No matter how dedicated volun
teers were, it was hard to plan for the future
since they weren't even sure there would
be one.
The Sheldons removed this uncertainty
by donating the bookstore to the Interna
tionalist Books Committee, and now there
is nothing standing in the way of the
bookstore's continued success.
The Sheldons could have closed the In
ternationalist, or they could have sold it to
the highest bidder. Instead, they chose to
keep their dead son's bookstore and dream
alive. One bookstore in one town may not
be enough to do it, but if enough people
learn from the examples of Bob Sheldon
and his parents, perhaps some day Sheldon's
dream of a world in which people can
discuss any topic from any point of view
without fear or anger will come true.
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Men: women don't ever 'ask for' sexual assault
It does not surprise me that one out of every
six women is assaulted during her four
years in college. Hurt and scare me, yes.
Surprise me, not at all.
I've known enough women who have gone
through the hellish nightmare of date and ac
quaintance rape or assault to believe that one in
six is a conservative estimate. However, what
upsets me even more are statistics that show
that one out of 1 2 men describes having partici
pated in acts fitting the description of rape or
attempted rape and does not think what he did
was wrong.
Judging from the responses I have heard
from various people regarding alleged rape
assault cases on this campus, I know that an
ignorance of what constitutes rape prevails
among students, especially male students, at
UNC. You would think students at a college of
UNC's supposed prestige would understand
the logistics of basic English. It's really quite
simple.
Men, when you had sex with a woman, did
you ask her to have sex with you? Did she say
yes? If she was unable to respond, that did not
mean yes. If she said no, she meant no. It's the
same basic principle we've been taught since
birth. When your father says you can't have a
hundred dollars, I seriously doubt you hold him
down and steal it from him or wait until he's
drunk and take it out of his wallet. The same
principle is at work for women who say no or
who are unable to say no but who definitely
have not said yes.
Unfortunately, many men have problems
applying this basic rule of respect to women.
Almost half of all women 47 percent can
expect to experience rape or attempted rape on
Erika Campbell
With No I
w Assistance
first or casual dates with men they had hoped
would be their friends. With statistics like that,
how does one discriminate between a friend
and a potential rapist?
And no, you cannot be my friend after you
have raped me. If I did not give you my permis
sion, then this was not just a round of casual sex
with a bit of high-powered fighting and scratch
ing thrown in for fun. This is my body, and I did
not invite you to have sex with me. I realize that
in this country especially, we have a hard time
grasping the concept of women having control
of their own bodies, but, men, just think about
how you would like to be treated. Would you
like a person with whom you would not have
chosen to have sex to force you into having
intercourse with her, beating you to submit to
an act in which you do not want to participate?
I do not think all men are potential rapists. I
know a few men who not only wouldn't con
sider raping a woman, but are also feminist. I
know, however, that most men have difficulty
understanding the frustration and danger that
entraps women on a campus such as UNC. No
woman likes having to depend on a boyfriend
or male classmate to escort her around campus.
I absolutely hate having to ask someone to take
me where I want to go. Unfortunately, it is
something we must do in order to protect our
selves. Men who make it difficult for women to
ask this simple favor that could save their lives
are encouraging women to do what I stupidly
have done too many nights walk alone.
Many women, myself included, realize the
precarious situation in which they are placed.
In order to survive, we must remember our
situation and take the limited precautions we
can. We cannot go where we want, when we
want, with the person we want to trust. How
ever, while we are taking precautions to protect
ourselves, we must insist upon educating our
selves and men about what needs to be done in
order to improve our precarious situation. We
have to demand that students, male and female,
become aware of the dangers and consequences
of date rape. We must push campus officials to
make this campus a safer place for all students
to live.
In the almost 3 12 years I have been here, I
am pleased to say that I have seen a move
toward educating the community about the
numbers of assaults and rapes that occur in this
area. From the flyers and residence hall pro
grams to the men and women who have dedi
cated their time to tonight's Take Back the
Night march, sponsored by the Women's Fo
rum of the Campus Y, there is a move toward
awareness. These programs are designed to
educate all of us about the right of students to
exist in an environment that will not tolerate the
barbaric rape and assault of women. I hope all
students, male and female, will participate in
these educational experiences and learn how to
improve campus life for all students.
Erika Campbell is a senior English major
from Chattanooga, Tenn.
r
'Eurocentrics' can't stop
African-American gains
To the editor:
Well, well, well. It seems we
have another AFRICAN-AMERICAN
HOMECOMING QUEEN.
It certainly thrilled my heart to
hear the announcement of another
AFRICAN-AMERICAN QUEEN
at the game Saturday. To my sur
prise though, the BLACK QUEEN
did not get a lot of cheers. I wonder
why (this is sarcasm, people, I know
why).
I am very proud of my race
(African American) because we
have shown Eurocentrics we can
come together and win and be con
sistent about it. Most people felt
the winning of Homecoming queen
two years ago would be a fluke
(she was also an African Ameri
can). Well, they were wrong.
African Americans have been
able to celebrate Homecoming fes
tivities the way we want for the
past three years, and there is noth
ing Eurocentrics couldcan do
about it. Despite all attempts to
scare us, we still have overcome
the racial attitudes on this campus.
Laura Anderson, a very personal
friend of mine, and the second
BLACK QUEEN in a row at this
university, received harsh words
written on her car last year. I could
not believe people were so jealous
to see her win that they would do
something like that. And this year,
attempts were made to keep the
current AFRICAN QUEEN,
Cherie Smith, out of the finalists.
When will you people learn that
African Americans will not suc
cumb to your insipid antics any
longer?
I am truly very proud to be AF
RICAN AMERICAN, and I am
very proud of my race because we
worked together to "FIGHT THE
POWERS THAT BE" on th is cam
pus. This is a lesson and a warning
for others on this campus. African
Americans are sick and tired of
racism and the constant lies you
give us. We cannot be stopped, and
just because we are outnumbered
on this campus certainly does not
mean we are out-classed.
Boy ... I feel good right about
now. African Americans were 2-0
this homecoming just like last year.
We won the football game, and we
have another Black Queen. Boy, in
the future we might have to change
the name to "Miss Black Home
coming Queen."
I wonder who will be crowned
Miss 1992 Homecoming Queen?
Better yet, I know who it won't be.
JOHN PRICE PATTERSON, Jr.
Senior
Speech Communications
Improve housekeepers'
work before salaries
To the editor:
Having lived in a residence hall
for 2 12 years now, I never have
been impressed with the quality of
housekeeping services. Hence, the
threat of a housekeeper in the Oct.
3 1 article, "Students support house
keepers' fight for better wages,
conditions," that if housekeepers
stop cleaning residence hall bath
rooms students will not be happy,
struck me as ironic. I am not happy
now that my rent pays for one
"thorough" cleaning per week in
my suite bathroom. I am not happy
that each morning as I enter the
shower I find myself greeting the
fungus that grows there unchecked.
I am not happy that I have to buy
cleaning products to improve the
conditions of my bathroom to pass
able sanitary standards. And fi
nally, I am not happy that every
time I see the housekeepers, they
are smoking and watching televi
sion in floor lounges.
I am sure that cleaning up after
University students is not high on
anyone's list of fun things to do. In
my time in the residence halls I
have seen bathrooms, lounges and
lobbies positively trashed. I can
understand that housekeepers'
morale is low and that some condi
tions (namely bad supervisors and
lack of advancement opportuni
ties) need to be addressed. How
ever, as a resident who has enough
respect for her suitemates and fel
low residents not to be a slob, I
don't think three or four cleanings
a week is too much to expect from
the housekeeper, whose daily duty
now appears to be emptying the
trash can. As far as hours are con
cerned, the housekeepers in my
building work Monday through
Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. I
work worse hours while at UNC
and while working at home on
University breaks.
Finally, I would like to address
a quote from Monday's article,
"Forum will publicize housekeep
ers' issues" (Nov. 4). Marsha
Tinnen, a housekeeping assistant,
said she wants students to talk to
their housekeepers. I no longer
speak to mine, since my first 10 to
12 overtures to be friendly were
met with stony silence and a glare.
Maybe Tinnen should encourage
housekeepers to be a little more
friendly, and they would receive
more sympathy. As it stands now,
until my bathroom is cleaned ac
cording to any standard of liabil
ity, my sympathy lies elsewhere.
DEIDRE S. HOLMES
Junior
English Education
Censorship unfortunate
result of photo contest
To the editor:
A picture of mine that was se
lected by jurors at the N.C. State
Fair showed a handicapped person
in a wheelchair smiling as she en
joyed participating in State Fair
activities while another non-impaired
child grimaced upon seeing
her.
As stated in the N.C. State Fair
catalogue, "The N.C. State Fair
reserves the right to refuse any
work that may be offensive or ob
scene or that State Fair manage
ment deems inappropriate for mi
nors to view."
The jurors at the State Fair had
ruled that my picture was not of
fensive. But obviously some people
were upset enough by its content to
consider my photograph and any
other future photographs I might
do to be offensive and worthy of
being censored.
The Monday after the State Fair
closed I was told by the principal
of the school my daughter attends
that I was no longer permitted to
take pictures of the children enter
ing or leaving school.
She said it was illegal to photo
graph the children because some
were handicapped. She said be
cause a person cannot tell by look
ing at the children which ones were
handicapped (i.e. low IQ, hyperac
tive, epileptic, etc.), no one was
allowed to take pictures of any of
them.
It seems that censorship has
moved way, way beyond the na
ked people a la Robert
Mapplethorpe. Censorship now
includes photographs of children
entering or leaving school because
some of them possibly are handi
capped even though visually a per
son cannot tell whether the chil
dren are handicapped.
I guess I'll just have to make
myself content with taking pic
tures of naked women running
around my living room.
ROY H.MILLER
Chapel Hill
Some Native Americans
are proud of the Braves
To the editor:
I am writing in response to the
editorial titled "Bringing sensitiv
ity to sports" (Oct. 28). The edito
rial seeks to draw parallels be
tween teams named for Native
Americans, such as Braves, Chiefs
and Indians, and hypothetical
teams named spies, niggers and
Jemimas.
The problem with this is that the
names used for Native Americans,
with the possible exception of
Redskins, in no way are deroga
tory, while the hypothetical names
certainly are.
Also, while the Braves' fans
may not use the historical relics in
the proper way, I do not feel that
they are being disrespectful at all.
In fact, the former Braves mascot
was a full-blooded Native Ameri
can, Nakahoma, who obviously
had no problem with the team name
or paraphernalia.
As a Native American, I per
sonally do not feel offended at all
by these names, and I have been a
fan of many of these teams for no
other reason than their names.
It would be a different matter if,
as suggested in The Daily Tar Heel,
the names made fun of Native
Americans and their problems,
such as alcoholism, poverty, un
employment and lack of educa
tion. In fact, the reason these names
were chosen was for the bravery,
courage and persistence of the
Native American.
In conclusion, I feel that the
energies being put forth by the
ultra-liberal PC factions and the
protesting tribes should be directed
to solving some of the above-mentioned
problems facing Native
Americans today.
KEVIN BEAMAN
Sophomore
Chemistry