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6The Daily Tar HeelTuesday, March 10, 1992 AND THE BABY WILL BE HERE pi Peter Waixsten, Editor DACIA Toll, Managing Editor Steve Poun, University Editor SHEA RiGGSBEE, Editorial Page Editor Amber NiMOCKS, City Editor ANNA GRIFFIN, State and National Editor Warren Hynes, Sports Editor Beth Tatum, Features Editor JoAnn RODAK, Copy Desk Editor Amy SEELEY, Copy Desk Editor ANDREW Cline, Photography Editor Jennifer Dickens, Layout Editor ALEX De GRAND, Cartoon Editor VlCKI HYMAN, Omnibus Editor rUf IVUIN WH'U'lwiv WONPhRrliL, PeAK; Established in 1893 100th year of editorial freedom frr : .s im i inc. Student Congress censorship violates code When movements like perestroika finally began increasing freedoms of expression in even the most restrictive countries in the world, one would have expected a gradual end to discriminatory censorship everywhere. Those hopes, however, were dashed right here on a liberal college campus when Student Con gress abused its power by requiring the Graduate Students United and the Carolina Gay and Lesbian Association to submit theirpublications for approval. During budget hearings in late February, Student Congress imposed restrictions on the publications of the two organizations to prevent them from "advo cating, endorsing or opposing legislation, govern mental actions or candidates." The restriction, according to Student Congress, was based on a Student Government Code provision stating that no student fees may be allocated to groups "religious or politically partisan in nature." But as lawsuits filed by the CGLA and the GSU state, being "politically partisan" and being "politi cal" are clearly different. Virtually every campus interest group is political the Black Student Movement, the Carolina Indian Circle and others deal with political issues every day. Neither the GSU nor the CGLA specifically supports a political party but political issues and candidates must be discussed, publicized, supported and op posed, in order for the organizations to represent the interests of their members. Because both organizations may publish material before submitting it for approval (within 96 hours of publication), some argue there is no straightforward 'prior-restraint' censorship involved. But Student Congress has seized the power to freeze all student government funds allocated to the organization if congress members find the publication to be politi cal. This is a backhanded way of restricting freedom of expression while trying to avoid the stigma of censorship. "This is a murky area because it's not outright prohibition, ... but it amounts to a form of censor ship," said Chuck Stone, professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Because of the differential treatment of the two organizations as opposed to other campus groups, this censorship, especially in the case of the CGLA, is also a violation of the due process clause of the 14th Amendment, Stone added. One can only hope the Student Supreme Court will realize the injustices done to these student organiza tions and will strike down the decision. Landfill committee should revamp process Orange County residents participating in the land fill search have seen democracy in action, but it's time for the regional landfill search committee to re evaluate its priorities. One year ago, the committee first looked at 16 potential sites. Last week, committee members nar rowed the choices to two controversial, illogical sites. The committee will pass along its final sugges tion to local government bodies for a decision. Committee chairman Eddie Mann Jr. said group members were proud of their efforts to involve the public in the deliberations. But the flawed process of choosing a site must be revamped. Instead of trying to please every county resident an impossible task the committee now must choose the most respon sible and geologically safe site. For more than 12 months, residents in different parts of the county have been pitted against each other during public hearings. The landfill search has divided this community. Site 3, near Horace Williams Airport, and Site 17, near Duke Forest, are the finalists. The committee chose these last week after a public hearing in Hillsborough where northern Orange County resi dents protested the sites near their homes. Residents near the Chapel Hill sites also are up in arms and probably will fight tochange thecommittee'schoices at a hearing later this month. These sites, dangerously close to high population areas and sensitive environmental areas, are unsatis factory. Mann's desire to hold additional public hearings is admirable, but this issue requires imme diate resolution. The committee must take past public comment into account, but also must place the highest priority on safety and geology. Clearly Site 3 and Site 17 do not meet the requirements. According to state regu lations. Site 3 is too close to the airport. It also is in close proximity to one of the fastest growing residen tial areas in Chapel Hill. In addition, Site 3 is 256 acres, significantly less than the 300-acre require ment established by the committee. Meanwhile, Site 17 includes the Blackwood For est area of Duke Forest, an important environmental reserve and recreation area. In addition, more than 425 homes are located within one mile of the site. Many of these families depend on vulnerable ground water resources for their survival. County residents must realize that any sight is controversial but an area landfill is necessary. The present landfill will be out of commission in five years, and Mann hopes experts can begin de tailed studies of the final sites within several weeks. The search committee members should regroup and reconsider the emphasis they put on residential protest. Is it more important to please the most vocal residents or to choose the safest and most economical site? The answer is clear, but the committee must act quickly before everyone loses faith in the democratic process. Hungry residents return to closed kitchens After a week of Mom's home-cooked meals, the last thing most dorm residents expected when they returned from Spring Break Sunday was a Marriott mandated diet. Not one campus dining hall was open at noon, when the residence halls were unlocked. The late opening alone was enough of an inconvenience with out reduced campus facilities. Carolina Court, the only open dining hall, didn't begin serving food until 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Carolina Court is an all-you-can-eat dining hall that charges more than $5 per student not exactly a bargain eatery. No dining services were available on South Campus until Monday morning. Most students eat the majority of their meals in dining halls and depend on the availability of this food. Students who operate under limited budgets or who don't have transportation have few other dining options. While it is unreasonable for the Marriott Corp. to keep them open during vacations, Marriott's monopoly on campus food makes it responsible for ensuring dining service for students whenever they are on campus even when it may not be profitable. Keeping dining halls closed the day most people returned to cam pus neglected this respon sibility and was a disser vice to students. Most students would like Spring Break to last as long as possible but some do need to return to Chapel Hill before classes resume. University hous ing has continued the inconvenient practice of keep ing dorms closed until noon on the day before classes. Students whose academic or travel schedules forced them to return early to campus found themselves without places to stay. Opening residence halls and campus dining facili ties two days before classes on Saturday easily could have accommodated students with little incon venience to the housing department and staff. The housing department and Marriott should not abuse their campus monopolies and in the future should place the highest priority on serving students. Apply NOW for positions as DTH editorial writers or columnists After years with a closed editorial board, The Daily Tar Heel now calls upon all students armed with insight and interest to apply for editorial board positions. In addition, two weekly columnist positions are open for applications. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply and to share their with and wisdom with their fellow Tar Heels. Members of the board are required to take part in discussions, research editorial topics and write at least one editorial a week. . Applications areavailable in the DTH office, Suite 104, in the Union. A sample editorial or column with a completed application will be due by 5 p.m. Friday. Business in ijvsrtlslno,: Kevin Schwartz, directorgeneral manager; Bob Bates, advertising director Leslie Humphrey, classified ad manager, Allison Ashworth, business manager. Buskins stall: Michelle Gray, assistant manager Gin Berardino, and Laurie Davis, office assistants; Chrlssy Dim, promotions manager. Classifies: advtrtlilni: Amy Dew, Becky Marquette, Lome Pats. Leah Richards and Jennifer Terry, representatim.Cbal Campbell, production assistant Display aevertlilni: Ashleiori Heath, advertisinomanaoer. Milton Artis.Marcie Bailev. Robert Lee Carson. Carrie Gradv AnoelaGrav David Hoffmann Joanna Hutehlns. Lynne Sandridge, Brooks Spradling, and Ginger Wagoner, account executives; Mariea Miller, assistant account executive; Charlotte Weaver, Nicki Blair, proofreaders. fwnruung prsginion: did lesim, managersystem aammisirator, Anna oeniiey ana Lorne rare, assistants. The Dairy Tar Heel is published by the DTH Publishing Corp., i non-profit North Carolina corporation, Monday-f riday, according to the University calendar. Callers with questions about billing or display advertising should dial 962-1163 between 8:30 a.m. and S o.m. Classified ads can be reached at 962-0252. Editorial questions should be directed to 962-02450246. Campas mall address: CBI 5210 boi 49, Carolina Union Office: Suit 104 Carolina Union U.S. Mall address: P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3257 Bicycling trend is part of Carolina tradition I do not remember seeing bicycles on campus when I was a medical stu dent at UNC in 1938-40. 1 lived at the Louis Graves's on Battle Lane and Whitehead Residence Hall and walked everywhere. When I returned to teach in 1946 with a two-year-old son and a daughter on the way, I saw bicycle riding children but not adults. Today the streets and sidewalks are filled with bikers, mostly college students but also bearded, bespectacled, and helmeted faculty members of all ranks and per suasions. In 1960,Idisposedof a 1951 English Ford when I realized I was becoming what is known today as a "couch po tato." I lived about two miles from my lab and believed getting to work should become regular exercise, a type cheaper and less time-consuming than golf. My duties had become too complex by then to allot an hour a day for walking, so I obtained a bicycle. As a child I had owned an Iver Johnson a top-of-the-line, one-speed, American bike, with foot-operated brakes. But bikes had been improved, and I bought a three-speed English Raleigh with hand brakes and rode it for the next 12 years. Bicycles were de trop among stu dents in the 1 960's, and I rarely saw one between Stroud Hill and the medical school. (My memory is that they be came trendy only after the Vietnam War.) To my knowledge, only three of my University colleagues also rode bi cycles to work in those days. One was Mr. James Wadsworth, an administra tor; another was Professor Cordon Sharp, a microbiologist; and the third was Professor Bill Peacock of physical education. Each was a local character in his own right. Bill Peacock, for instance. John B. Graham Guest Writer was reputed to have sworn never to drive a car. Mr. Wadsworth was Scout master of (I think) Troop 39 and pro duced a science show for television when WUNC-TV first started up. When Pro fessor Sharp moved over from Duke University, he needed both an electron microscope and an ultracentrifuge for his research on viruses. S ince none were available commercially in those days, he designed and built his own! Mr. Wadsworth did most of his riding in the fairly level parts of town, and I lived on Roosevelt Avenue only about halfway down Stroud Hill. Bill Peacock lived in Greenwood and rode up Gimghoul Hill to work every day. Pro fessor Sharp had the toughest route. He lived on Granville Road in Estes Hills and had to come down to Bolin Creek and then climb both Stroud and Medical hills. Three of us stopped riding bikes for different reasons. Mr. Wadsworth was attacked by a large dog and knocked off his bike dogs were not leashed in those days sustaining a severely frac tured leg. Professor Sharp gave up bike riding because of cardiovascular prob lems, but only many years after his doctors had told him that he must. I gave it up when my bike was stolen from the portico of the research wing of MacNider Hall on the day that Suellen Evans was murdered in the Arboretum. (I have fantasized that the murderer escaped on it.) Bill Peacock still rides into town every day to pick up his mail at the downtown post office, deigning to use a multi-speed and riding his ancient one-speed. My two sons also h.id bikes in the sixties. Three Raleighs occupied the carport at the same time. I arranged that they work at the medical school during their vacations (at my expense) and realized while riding with them that pedestrians are at a great risk on side walks used by bikers. When I sug gested that we use bells to warn walk ers of our approach, they were unen thusiastic but agreed to use a type of bell that they could activate when nec essary. I adopted what I thought a bet ter plan, i.e. suspending an Indian temple bell from my basket to give a tinkling sound as I rode along. This was too exotic and embarrassing for them, and they always rode well ahead of or well behind me. At age 74, 1 am once again a pedes trian, walking to my office several days a week. From time to time I am startled by a biker who overtakes me without warning. It is always a bit of a shock, but I haven't been hit yet. If I were to be hit, I would probably break a leg, like Mr. Wadsworth, or my head. At my age, it probably wouldn't matter much which, since either would render me hors de combat. I have thought of petitioning the town council to require bicycles to have warning bells. But such an ordinance would probably have no more effect than the ordinances which require bik ers to obey traffic laws and autos not to exceed 35 mph on Franklin Street. John B. Graham is a professor emeri tus of pathology. Valentine's message inspires romantic evening for two Editor's note: The following letter was written by the second-place winner of the Valentine's Day personal contest. It was addressed to The Daily Tar Heel, Leslie Humphrey and the classifieds staff. To the editor: I know this is long overdue, and I'm sorry. But better late than never. Thank you somuch fora wonderful Valentine's Day surprise! My "lost" boyfriend is very thankful, because he had nothing planned. Oh, the joys of dating a law student! Everything ran very smoothly there was plenty of time for our delicious dinner at Cracovia (one of my favorite restaurants), and we actually got to the play quite early. "Rough Crossing" was pretty humorous we enjoyed it. Basi cally, it was a wonderful evening, and I can't thank you enough. You did a great job. JESSICA GUZEK Senior Pit preacher twists message that true Christians espouse To the editor: As a Christian, a believer in Jesus Christ, I just wanted to say how of fended and disappointed I was as I lis tened to the Pit preacher's epithets and condemnations this afternoon. The mes sage of the Christian gospel does in clude the idea that we are all morally offensive to a righteous God and are in deep need of help. But what makes the gospel "good news" is that it asserts that God loves us so deeply that He has offered the help we need in the person of Jesus Christ. At infinite cost to Himself, God has made it possible for all our moral fail ures to be forgiven, for us to become His beloved children rather than His en emies. That's the gospel, but that's not what we hear from "proclaimers" like this man this terribly insecure carica ture, who met the surrounding students' ridicule and hostility with his own. The fact that the human race is full of evil and injustice, and that we ourselves are participants in, not just innocent victims of or observers of that evil, is hardly a mystery to any of us who are honest with ourselves. Supposedly Christian preachers who give us only this dismal message (and make it excru ciatingly unpalatable by their conde scension, self-nghteousness and ridicu lously superficial views of evil) aren't giving us much news, let alone good news. Even the most severe prophets of the Old Testament deeply loved and identi fied with the people whose sinfulness they condemned. They mourned over human evil they didn't exult over their own relative righteousness. They longed for a promise savior, someone to make things right. The good news of the gospel is that the savior came. All that we Christians on this campus have the right to say about our faith to non Christians is that we know this savior, that He has loved us and given us hope, not that we are inherently morally supe rior to anyone. I'm sorry and embarrassed that God's offer of love and forgiveness to all who as for them is often so egregiously miscommunicated on this campus. There are many articulate, intelligent, sensi tive Christians at UNC. What a shame it is that the "Christian" voices that often sound the loudest here are those of igno rant, uncaring, uncouth outsiders. The God of the Bible had something much better in mind. I hope that those who need Him won't think that such men as this preacher are accurately represent ing His character or His message. WHIT JONES Graduate English Facts dispute charge of superior female treatment To the editor: I occasionally wonder whether The Daily Tar Heel publishes columns to generate mail. In this case I hope so; it disturbs me to think that Daily Tar Heel editors took Roy Schenk's Jan. 14 col umn, "Feminist leaders seeking superi ority for women," seriously enough to publish it for its own scarce merits. Though Mr. Schenk makes statement after broad statement on how women receive "superior" treatment (I'm as suming he means in America), he offers no evidence, no statistics, not even one example to support his ideas. Instead he makes general assumptions using out dated stereotypes rather than provable facts, relying on bulldozer words like "totally" and "obviously" to disguise his faulty logic. "Obviously" women are given superior treatment because they are advanced in lifeboat lines. "Ac tually" television is censored for the benefit of women. When were women advanced to the front of a lifeboat line? Where? Who made the policy? Who claims that "the ladies will be offended" if the media isn't censored? Where is the evidence? Not only does Schenk offer no proof, but at one point he is blatantly inaccu rate ("When have you heard of minori ties excluded from the draft or combat in the military?"). Minorities and women both fought long and hard for the right to serve in the armed forces. Mr. Schenk doesn't even approach the question of whether women want or even approve of such treatment, as suming it exists. Instead he skips to his real goal: to prove that women deserve sexual harassment they get, that men are the real victims, that sexual harass ment is a woman's responsibility, her problem, her fault. According to Schenk, men are rejected "contemptu ously" by women, leading to a "serious sexual deficit" and "surplus of inter est." Furthermore, men are actually the victims of harassment related to their "sexual deficit." In other words, if women would only sleep with all the men who asked them to, no one ever would be sexually harassed.. Mr. Schenk, if men are so seriously harassed, then there ought to be a record of complaints. Why don't you mention it? If, as you say, men harass women because of a sexual deficit, what about the responsibility to exercise self-control? Lastly, why is it that in your eyes all women behave one way and all men another, when there are so many indi vidual people in this world who don't live by your logic? Though it's alarming to realize that opinions like Schenk's still exist and even more so to think that a newspaper might print them, my main argument with his column is that there is not one lonely shred of evidence backing it up. People who want to publish arguments like Schenk's should do so responsibly by offering firm proof to support them and not by blindly categorizing an en tire gender. JOANNA LYONS Freshman Undecided Letters policy The Daily Tar Heel welcomes reader comments and criticisms. We attempt to print as many letters to the editor as space permits. When writ ing letters, please follow these guide lines: Letters should be limited to 400 words. Shorter letters have a better chance of running. Ifyou want your letter published, sign and date it. No more than two signatures.: All letters must be typed. Includeyouryearinschool, ma jor, phone number and hometown. You may include a title that is relevant to your letter's subject. The DTH reserves the right to edit letters for space, clarity and vulgarity.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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March 10, 1992, edition 1
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