10The Daily Tar HeelWednesday, AprU 1, 1992
Peter Wallsten, Editor
DACIA TOLL, Managing Editor
STEVE POUTI, 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
Amy SEELEY, Copy Desk Editor
ANDREW CLINE, Photography Editor
Jennifer Dickens, Layout Editor
Alex De Grand, Cartoon Editor
VlCKI HYMAN, Omnibus Editor
Editor in chief's office hours:
Tuesday, 12 p.m.-1 p.m.
Friday, 1 p.m. -3 p.m.
LE1SS F LklAJcV
Established in 1893
JQ 100th year of editorial freedom
i i r
Present laws should apply to date rape
Date rape. It's real. It's happening. And University
students should be concerned.
The term is misunderstood by some who think of
it as a lesser form of rape. But rape is rape, regardless
of whether the victim knows the assailant.
Last week, Orange-Chatham District Attorney Carl
Fox proposed amending present laws to include a
charge of third-degree rape.
The charge of third-degree rape would carry a
lesser sentence than first- or second-degree rape and
would not require that the state prove force was
exerted. The law instead would mandate that consent
be given before the act, eliminating the need for
resistance. Fox's objective is to encompass cases of
date rape that are dismissed under existing laws.
But new laws are simply Band-aid solutions slapped
over societal problems that will not be solved by
changing the rule book. The fact is that the present
laws are broad in their definitions of force broad
enough certainly to be applied to instances of date
rape. Furthermore, problems arise from the fact that
juries, reflecting society's views, are defining force
narrowly and ignoring many of the factors present in
a date rape scenario. Because Fox's proposed law
would carry a lesser sentence, it would appear to
classify date rape as something other than real rape.
Date rape can be as frightening and as serious as any
other form of rape and should be treated as such.
Polly Guthrie, community education and outreach
coordinator for the Orange County Rape Crisis Cen
ter, said Fox's proposal would be beneficial because
it would include characteristics of date rape that are
often ignored in other trials. She said threats such as
"I'll break up with you if you don't" are dismissed by
juries who do not view the statement as a threat of
force. Guthrie said weapons seldom are used in rape
cases 90 percent of the time, victims are subjected
to physical or verbal force.
Both Fox and Guthrie said that evidence of physi
cal resistance was required under the present laws
and that it should not be necessary to prove resistance
to show a person did not consent.
But while Fox's proposal may bring more convic
tions, implementing new laws when potentially ef
fective ones already are in place is not necessary
Educating society and jurors about the broader forms
of force is the answer.
"Force as most people hear force is not present (in
date rape cases)," Guthrie said. The solution lies in a
clear interpretation of the law and an understand
ing of force as not necessarily physical.
Under N.C. general statute 14-27.2, first-degree
rape is defined as intercourse by force and against the
will of the victim. First-degree rape also includes use
of a deadly weapon, infliction of serious personal
injury, or aiding and abetting by another person.
Second-degree rape, under statute 14-27.3, is de
fined as intercourse by force and against the will of
the victim. Force can include fear, fright, duress,
threat to injury and general fear of a person. Addi
tionally, consent may not be inferred from a person
who is mentally incapacitated orphysically helpless.
Despite Fox's justified concern that date rape
cases are falling through the cracks of the present
laws, it still is imperative that the state prove some
kind of resistance with the juries' understanding
that saying "No," even in the absence of physical
resistance, is enough.
Because intent must be proven for all crimes
and intent in rape cases is inferred by the act itself
the component in the law dealing with acts of resis
tance cannot be removed. If it is, the law implies
intent to rape by the act of intercourse alone.
Solutions must come from a much broader base
than law books. It must be understood that women
rarely fabricate stories of rape. As with all other
felonies, national statistics show that only 2 percent
of the reports are false. Just as crucial is an under
standing of the situations that accompany date rape
Physical force is seldom needed in these cases
force takes the form of coercion. But people must
understand that date rape is rape nonetheless.
And victims must learn to make their desires
known by saying no.
The laws are in place. Society simply must become
educated enough to enforce them.
Bush's environmental apathy must end
Since the end of the Persian Gulf War, President
Bush and Secretary of State James Baker have been
promoting their vision of a New World Order. Un
fortunately, it seems as though the environment has
been left out of the equation and sucked up by a black
hole formed when one of Bush's "thousand points of
light" imploded.
In June, 160 countries will send representatives to
an environmental conference in Rio de Janeiro. The
Bush administration's attitude toward this confer
ence and the global environmental movement in
general has been hypocritical and shameful.
The Rio de Janeiro conference would be a wonder
ful opportunity for Bush to show Americans and the
rest of the world that his desire to be remembered as
the "environmental president" was not just cam
paign rhetoric. But as five weeks of preparatory
negotiations come to an end this week at the U.N.
headquarters in New York, the aims of the confer
ence are being undermined because of the president's
unenthusiastic approach to several issues that will be
discussed at the conference. Last week, Bush said
that "running for the presidency" might prevent him
from attending the Rio de Janeiro meeting.
The United States is the only nation attending the
conference that has not given its support to the focal
point of the meeting: an international pact intended
to stabilize the world's environment by placing lim
its on the production of greenhouse gases. Even
Japan, a country the Bush administration chastised
during the Persian Gulf War for not paying its "fair
share" of the costs, has agreed to this international
pact. But Bush objects to the agreement because it
would limit the use of gasoline in the United States.
Bush's desire for an agreement that does not
include limits on gasoline consumption should be an
embarrassment for the U.S. The European Commu
nity, one of our major industrial partners, has criti
cized Bush's position on the pact issue by calling it
"an attack on the very heart of the Rio conference."
This pact on global warming illustrates international
attempts to act in concert even at the expense of
reduced economic growth. The U.S. 's refusal to lend
support to the agreement destroys such cooperation
and discourages other nations, especially developing
countries, from making sacrifices of their own in the
name of stabilizing the global environment.
Although 1 59 other countries will be at the confer
ence, none of them have as much influence as the
U.S. Unfortunately, Bush still has not said he will
attend the conference. Such indecisiveness reflects
an irresponsible attitude. Even an appearance by
Bush would help take the global environmental
movement out from the shadows cast by other world
issues and place back it into the spotlight.
If Bush continues to show an apathetic attitude
toward the Rio de Janeiro conference, the world will
be forced to conclude only one thing: The U.S. is not
committed to global environmental reform. Sadly
enough, environmental problems do not now seem
to be as tangible a threat to our "environmental
president" as Saddam Hussein once was.
Hlig)jJI!lVlBrrfgSi"
Business and advertising: Kevin Schwartz, directorgeneral manager. Bob Bates, advertising director; Leslie Humphrey, classified ad manager; Allison Ashworth,
business manager.
Business staff: Michelle Gray, assistant manager Gina Berardino, and Leah Willis, office assistants; Chrissy Davis, promotions manager.
Classified advertising: Amy Dew, Becky Marquette, Lorrie Pate, Leah Richards and Jennifer Terry, representative; Kristin Costello, Tina Habash, Christ) Thomas and
Steve Vetter, classified trainees; Chad Campbell, production assistant.
Display advertising: Ashleigh Heath, advertising managerUMon Artis, Marcie Bailey, Laurie Baron, Robert Lee Carson, Carrie Grady, Angela Gray, Joanna Hutchins,
Lynne Sandridge. Brooks Spradling. and Ginger Wagoner, account executives; Michelle Buckner, Jessica Frank, Pam Horkan and Mariea Miller, assistant account
executives; Charlotte Weaver, Nicki Blair, proofreaders; Sherri Cockrum, creative director.
Advertising production: Bill Leslie, managersystem administrator Anita Bentley, Stephanie Brodsky, Jennifer Lloyd and Lorrie Pate, assistants.
Assistant editors: Anne Michaud. arts coordinator; Dana Pope, city; Jennifer Dunlap and Jo Ann Rodak, copy; Karen Dietrich, edit page; Yi-Hsin Chang, features; Chip
Sudderth, graphics coordinator; Mike Long, Omnibus; Erin Randall, photography; Stewart Chisam, Eric David and Bryan Strickland, sports; Rebecah Moore, state and
national; Birch DeVault, Marty Minchin and Bonnie Rochman, university.
Newsclerk: Kevin Brennan.
Editorial writers: Ashley Fogle, Adam Ford. Steve Harris, Alan Martin, Mike Murray and Mark Shelburne.
University: Michael Bradley. John Broadfoot, Megan Brown, Shannon Crownover, Deborah Greenwood, Heather Harreld, Valerie Holbert, Teesha Holladay. Kathleen
Keener, Chandra McLean, Jenny Mclnnis, Maricia Moye, Jennifer Mueller, Anuradha Seth, Maria Sweeney, Jennifer Talhelm, Marcy Walsh, Jon Whisenant and Michael
Workman.
City: Tiffany Ashhurst, Jennifer Brett, AndreaBruce, Kim Cable, Maile Carpenter, Andrew Cline, Carol Davis, Julie Flick, Chris Goodson.JackieHershkowitz, Grant Holland,
Emily Russ, Kelly Ryan and Brendan Smith.
State and National: Eric Lusk, senior writer; Alisa DeMao, Tara Duncan, Brandy Fisher, Gillam Hall, Vlcki Hyman, Karen Lakey, Laura Laxton, Brian McJunkin, Lars
Munson, Adrienne Parker, Jason Richardson, Bruce Robinson Pete Simpkinson and Chris Trahan.
Special Assignments: Alisa DeMao, Anna Griffin, Mara Lee, Jennifer Mueller and Gillian Murphy.
Arts: Layton Croft, Ned Dirlik. Beth Formy-Ouval. Laura Guv. Grant Harverson. Ashley Harris. Melissa Mankowski. Charles Marshall. Jonathan McCall. Rahul Mehta. Grea
Miller. Elizabeth Oliver, Susie Rickard, Martin Scott. Jenni Spitz, Sally Slryker and Ian Williams.
Features: vlcki Cheng, Michael Easterly, Robyn Fontes, Jackie Herskowitz, Thomas King, Kristin Lelght, Robin Lowe, Anna Meadows, Kelly Noyes, Mary Moore Parham,
Sonja Post, Winifred Sease and Howard Thompson.
Sports: Neil Amato and Mark Anderson, senior writers: Jason Bates. Jennifer Dunlao. Dave Helser. Douo Hooaervorst. Matt Johnson. David J. Kunstas. Man Laffertv.
John C. Manuel, Amy McCaffrey. Bobby McCroskey, Marty McGee, Brian McJunkin, David Monroe, Jay Stroble, Carter Toole and Michael Workman.
rnoiograpny ueooie biengei, senior photographer Jonathan Atkeson, 1000 uarr, Kevin unigneii, barm run, Kelly (ireene, Nonan Hanig, inn Randall and tvle sandlln.
Copy Editors: Andv Bechtel. Tiffany Cook. Amv Cummins. Michael Gaudio. Kvle Hoooer. Rama Kawali. Jennifer Kurfees. Mara Lee. Martv McGee. Vikki Mercer. Jennifer
Reid, John Slaton, Jacqueline Torok. Rick Twomey. Kenyatta Unchurch, Sara Watson, Amy Weller and Nancy West.
brapnics: jonn uasena, jay noseoorougn ana kick siaine.
Cartoonists: Mandy Brame, Mary Brutzman, Lem Butler, Carolyn Flanders and Jeff Maxim.
Layout: Shane Klein, Heather Modlin and Teresa Rucker.
Editorial Production: Slacy Wynn, manager; Lisa Reichle, assistant
Distribution and Printing: Village Printing Company
The Daily Tar Heel is published by the DTH Publishing Corp., a non-profit North Carolina corporation, Monday-Friday, according to the University calendar.
Callers with questions about billing or display advertising should dial 962-1 163 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 P.m. Classified ads can be reached at 962-0252. Editorial
questions should be directed to 962-02450246.
Cimpus mall address: CBI 5210 boi 49, Carolina Union
Office: Suite 104 Carolina Union
U.S. Mall address: P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3257
Well-versed students can respect differences
I was elated. By my sophomore year
in high school, I had won the school's
highest theater award for my por
trayal of a Jewish teacher in the school's
production of "I Never Saw Another
B utterfly." My love for acting had forced
me to audition for parts in every play
produced by my school. Naivety had
allowed me to accept blindly the roles
and to ignore the questions gnawing
away at me. Why was I allowed to play
a Jewish teacher during the Holocaust
but not an American femme fatale? I
had been taught by my parents that there
were some similarities between the
Holocaust and slavery, but all of my
knowledge of the Holocaust and Jewish
people came from television and two
Jewish friends.
I remember we took our show to a
local synagogue, and I put my entire
heart and determination into the perfor
mance. When we finished the show,
which ended with the solemn fact that
there were very few survivors of this
catastrophe, the audience was silent.
Quiet. Not a clap, not a cough, not even
a loud "Booo." The rabbi came from
behind the closed curtain to address our
bewildered faces. He explained that
there were several members of the audi
ence that had been held captive in the
Holocaust.
Years later, that silence has gnawed
away at me much like my ignored ques
tions. The audience members offered us
nice congratulations, but I could see the
reservation in their eyes. They said our
performance was realistic, but I felt
guilty. I did not ask what I had done
wrong for fear that I would offend some
one. I still wonder how these people felt
having me, the ignorant one, express
the fear, pain and heritage.
Occasionally, I still feel guilty for
not knowing. But more often than not, I
Erika
Campbell
With No
Assistance
am angry. An
gry about being
taught I was a
part of that
group of "oth
ers" and being
told I should
know about all
members of this
minority group
by osmosis. It
still bothers me
that I don't
know too much
more about Jewish people than I did
then and that as far as any culture other
than Western goes, I am semi-ignorant.
I know I should take control of my
own education, and I believe in some
ways I have. However, I have had to
play so much catch-up in learning about
myself, that I have not had the time to
learn about anybody other than the re
quired white American society. Oh I
have taken a random course in minority
culture other than my own, but this
cannot provide anyone with the needed
understanding of culture.
Here at UNC, we are timidly ap
proaching a respect for other cultures.
Slowly but surely, we are seeking out
other people. I emphasis we because I
believe all people need to move toward
learning about other people, even those
people who are members of that huge
and diverse minority group. We all need
to actively seek out different cultures
and learn about them.
And while we are actively learning
about each other, please stop lumping
people in groups. Just because I am
African-American does not mean I know
about the Jewish experience or the His
panic experience or the Asian experi
ence or any other experience. People
are equally different and should be re
spected for the separate difference, not
lumped together in order to bring about
added support. It bothers me that Chan
cellor Paul Hardin feels that one minor
ity is not important enough, but three or
four minority cultures might equal white
American culture. Most African-American
students cannot speak for a
multicultural center. We are not
multicultural, we are African-American.
We only barely have been taught
about ourselves and cannot presume to
know too much about other minorities
based solely on the fact that we share a
common isolation.
It is sad that the idea of a building
dedicated solely to African Americans
is inherently evil to some people. It is
also sad that people think that African
American culture is some strange con
glomeration of Malcolm X, elephants,
lions, drum music and Martin Luther
King. Sadder still is the thought that
people still believe students are going to
learn race relations by being housed in
the same building. I spend three-quarters
of my day in the Student Union, and
I still do not know about all of the
minority or even non-minority groups
housed in the Union.
I hope that someday UNC will
achieve a general respect for all of the
members of its community. I hope that
one day the average student will be a
well-versed and intelligent person who
knows about more than him or herself.
I also hope UNC remembers we cannot
afford to do one or the other. A Black
Cultural Center does not negate the
possibility of a culturally respectful
community or a multicultural center. I
hope the powers that be realize we can
not afford one or the other.
Erika Campbell is a senior English
major from Chattanooga, Tenn.
ROTC an important part
of University tradition
Editor's note: The author of this let
ter is a first lieutenant in the U.S. Ma
rine Corps.
To the editor:
As an officer in the U.S. Marine
Corps, I am often confronted with such
amusing and creative labels as "short-
hatred, brutish war-monger, Neo-
Nazi," etc. The list is indeed long and
imaginative. However, as a graduate of
this fine liberal arts university, I like to
think of myself as a fairly open-minded
individual who happens to believe
strongly in America and her ideals. Per
haps it is naive of me to think so, but it
has been my belief while at this univer
sity, that UNC is a place that prides
itself on its diversity and welcomes the
open exchange of ideas and culture.
Apparently Rudy Brueggeman (March
27) has different ideas.
Perhaps Rudy is unaware of it, but
the ROTC units at UNC have a long and
important tradition at this university.
The Navy ROTC unit here is among the
best in the country and has graduated
more commissioned officers than all
but a handful of other schools. During
World War II, this campus was the site
of a major pre-flight program that
schooled such "ROTC troopers" as
President Bush. And a number of im
portant contributions to the University
are a result of the ROTC units here
perhaps Rudy has played on Navy Field
or swam in the Navy Pool behind
Woollen Gym.
Crucial to the ROTC programs on
campus is training for their careers as
military officers. And perhaps the most
difficult training done here is that of the
Junior-Marine option midshipmen pre
paring to attend Officer Candidates
School this summer. While Rudy may
believe that since there is no war going
on the military will be "bored" this
summer, these young men and women
will be shown otherwise. To properly
prepare them for this grueling test, the
NROTC unit trains them long and hard.
Unfortunately, we do not have a forest
on campus to send them to, so they must
train around the campus area. Inevita
bly, this means that some people will
see them. If that offends Rudy, then
perhaps Rudy should consider it yet
another lesson in diversity. They have a
right to train here, indeed a need to do
so, and have done so for many years
without inciden.
Rudy, broaden your horizons a little,
enjoy our diverse campus and lighten
up!
MICHAEL RICHARDSON
Graduate
Law
Obnoxious Dookies don't
deserve anyone's respect
To the editor:
Durham is my hometown as well as
home to Duke University, but I am
ashamed to admit it. Duke may be the
number one team in the country and on
their way to the Final Four again this
year, but take a look at how they got
there:
In the game against Kentucky, Ail
American and AI1-ACC teams member
and ACC Tournament MVP Christian
hatuner deliberately stomped on a Ken
tucky player while he was on the floor.
This kind gesture earned him a techni
cal foul, which he so richly deserved.
None of the Duke players can be called
good sportsmen. Whether it be Brian
Davis' foul mouth, Grant Hill's quick
temper or Christian Laettner's constant
abuse of other players, this team cer
tainly has a bad attitude. The coach is no
exception. During pre and postgame
interviews, Coach K rarely compliments
his opponent's performance. A little
common courtesy never hurt anyone.
Do the Duke players ever help an oppo
nent up or even dare to be humane after
an unintentional foul where someone
may have been hurt? I've never seen it.
I've only seen the snide looks and heard
the rude remarks made toward the op
ponent. Duke has gone all season remaining
number one with only two losses. These
two losses came to ACC teams UNC
and Wake Forest. Before the UCLA
game, Christian Laettner said some
thing to the fact that it would be a
challenge for them to play a team out
side the ACC. If Duke doesn't think
ACC teams are challenging enough for
them, why don't they look for a confer
ence elsewhere? It seems to me ACC
teams are teams to be reckoned with. So
far, they are the ONLY two teams to
hand Duke losses this year. Duke is an
embarrassment to the ACC conference,
not because of their winloss record, but
because of their attitude. No other team
in the conference displays such behav
ior. There is no justice in this world if
Duke is allowed to win the national
championship again this year. How can
a team with their bad attitude and sports
manship continue to win? I'll tell you
how. It is because Duke usually has
eight people on the court their five
players and the three officials. There is
no way a team of five can beat a team of
eight, especially when the officials call
the game. I am not certified to officiate
a basketball game nor have I been to
school for it, but some things are bla
tantly obvious. When there are three to
four Duke players slapping at one oppo
nent, there is going to be a foul comm it
ted, yet one is rarely called. The an
nouncers for these games often com
ment on the lack of calls made against
Duke. They say there is no way contact
can be made, such as the way Duke
does, and there not be some sort of call
made. Officials are not supposed to be
biased, but many of them are. The offi
cialsjust seem to overlook any mistakes
made by Duke or maybe they think a
number one team doesn't make any
mistakes. Either way, they're dead
wrong. Just because Duke was number
one last year doesn't mean they should
be number one this year, but obviously
nobody has told this to the officials.
With eight to five odds, the game will
never be fair.
If Duke becomes the national cham
pion this year, this Durham native will
not be celebrating. I will be hanging my
head in embarrassment. I do not want to
be associated with a team that beats and
badgers its opponents and has such a
bad attitude. Durham may be known for
Duke, but Duke is known for bullying,
and there is no room for bullies in the
sport of basketball. Apparently Duke
thinks they have to "step" on other
teams to get to the top. If that is what
basketball has come to, I'm glad UNC
isn't number one. Carolina doesn'thave
to win for me to be proud of them. Their
positive attitude and good sportsman
ship stand out among all the rest. Durham
may be my home, but Chapel Hill is
where my heart lives. As for Duke,
you'll never be number one in my book,
unless it's in rudeness, obnoxiousness
and arrogance.
SHELLEY SESSOMS
Freshman
Advertising