Protests are down because Iraq has fewer casualties

TO THE EDITOR:
Yesterday’s article about war protests missed a crucial difference between the Iraq and Vietnam conflict that likely contributes significantly to today’s relatively muted protest efforts: casualties.
Any talk of numbers is going to unavoidably and regrettably dehumanize the precious and promising lives that we lose in war. But the numbers provide a sound explanation for less vociferous war opposition this time around.
The Vietnam conflict killed around 58,000 American soldiers. The Iraq war to date has killed 3,161 — just over five percent of the Vietnam total. Further, the rate of casualty incursion in Vietnam was significantly higher, 350 soldiers a week at its height in 1968 versus less than half that in the worst month in Iraq so far.
Though polls show similar levels of opposition for both wars, the polls do not measure the intensity of this opposition. Right now, intensity is not high enough to make students skip class. But given an escalated or hopelessly open-ended conflict, I think we would see the same spirited protests of the Vietnam era.

Scott O’Brien
Graduate Student
Political Science

____________________

Columnist worsened divide between teacher and pupil

TO THE EDITOR:
In response to the column, “Teaching from a student’s perspective”: Congratulations, you have successfully stretched the divide between teacher and pupil. Your suggestions mirror the fact that many students are selfish and lazy, and confirm the notion many young academics are apathetic, grade-grubbing, unintelligent blow-hards.
The only notable advice you dole out is the stint on writing on the board—a sound suggestion, but maybe you should also consider the fact you may be a poor listener and note-taker.
If you can’t handle the reading, take an easier class, maybe it’s just too demanding for you. I understand it’s hard to balance school, extra-curriculars, and a social life, but it’s a privilege to attend a University. And if you can’t appreciate that, you should get out and take time to see what life is like for those who cannot afford the lifestyle you lead.
Furthermore, the grievance you lay out about teacher’s complaining about their personal lives is embarrassing. Professors are real people. They have real problems and their lives are shaped by as much emotional strife as yours. Perhaps if you took the time to look at them as similar individuals, you’d see they might have guidance to offer that extends far beyond the classroom.
I’d say the real problem among teachers and students is the lack of serious regard for student’s capabilities. Many teachers see students as incapable of understanding some of the more “elevated concepts.” People like you fuel their perception of the student body, and until students establish themselves as willing and able participants in the academic forum we will never be considered intellectually equal.

Leyla Ballantyne
Junior
English and Economics

____________________

A capella group did not mean to offend anyone

TO THE EDITOR:
When we agreed to sing a song as part of the “Pit breakup,” we had no idea how that event would unfold. We would never want to publicly humiliate anyone or be a part of anything considered vulgar.
As many DTH readers know, we often perform in the Pit as a service to the University community. We were simply there to sing, not to demean, and we apologize to those who were offended by our participation.

Amanda Bolch
President
UNC Loreleis

____________________

Editorial wrong to support the Death with Dignity Act

TO THE EDITOR:
I was disturbed by your 26 Feb. editorial, “Following the Oregon Trail” in which you advocate the Death with Dignity Act.
I understand that people with terminal illnesses face extreme pain and may feel themselves to be a burden on their loved ones. Still, I do not understand why the government should allow people facing such illnesses or serious disabilities to end their lives.
As I am intent on marrying someone with a disability, the idea that a loved one should decide that life is no longer worth living saddens me. The Death with Dignity Act promotes a negative stereotype of people living with disabilities and ignores the rights of the families who care for them.
As a Catholic, I believe in the sanctity of life from conception until a natural death and could not support the Death with Dignity Act. I hope that if such a measure should come up in the popular election, the citizens of this state would vote against it.

Dan Burke
Graduate Student
Physics and Astronomy

____________________

Bicycles for campus police put pedestrians in danger

TO THE EDITOR:
The addition of bicycles to the UNC DPS arsenal of weapons is irresponsible and dangerous. Yes, weapons. Apparently, the officers received them last Thursday (or as far as I could tell, considering it looked like they had never used one before).
I watched three officers attempt to pop wheelies in front of Davis, then proceed to ride through the Pit at noon on the sunniest day of the week (which even the most inconsiderate University student would not attempt). Then one of them actually hit a girl on her way into the Union.
I thought the police were here to make us feel safer. How are we supposed to respect their authority when they can’t even respect our personal space?

Gia Branciforte
Junior
International Studies

David Price supports our troops just not the war

TO THE EDITOR:
I am concerned by the protest at David Price’s office.
For four years, I have been opposed to the war in Iraq. And for four years, I have been subjected to comments by war supporters who claim that by opposing the war that I am not supporting our troops. The protesters’ main achievement has been to inadvertently reinforce this false assertion.
Rep. Price understands the difference between supporting the political aims of a war and supporting the men and women who are stationed overseas. He has been a vocal opponent of the war since 2003, when he voted to use more diplomatic measures to address WMDs. Since then, he has used his position as a member of the House Appropriations Committee to back such measures as the War Funding Accountability Act.
At the same time, he has approved funding that would provide better armament for troops. Within these supplementary bills, he has pushed for provisions like the Lee Amendment on Permanent Bases in Iraq, which prevents unnecessary long-term commitments of our troops in that area.
The letter to the editor on Monday by Tamara Tal and Alisan Fathalizadeh ends with a plea to remember the Iraqi civilians and American soldiers who have died during the war. I would argue that Rep. Price has shown that it is possible to care about both the political aspect of a war and the troops who are fighting it on our behalf — and for that I must thank him.

Amanda Morgan
Sophomore
History & International Studies

____________________

Coal plant expansion will hurt our wallets and air

TO THE EDITOR:
Duke Energy’s proposal to expand the existing Cliffside coal plant in Rutherford County represents its flagrant disregard for both its customers and the environmental well-being of their communities. The proposed project would cost rate-payers more than $3 billion, an outrageous expense that would be absorbed entirely by Duke Energy customers.
Furthermore, Cliffside and more than 150 coal plants across the U.S. are being rushed to construction in hopes of getting exempted from looming federal CO2 regulation. That is a risky strategy, but Duke is not deterred because it assumes it could pass emissions costs on to ratepayers. Even more detrimental than its financial woes, Cliffside would be a global-warming machine, emitting over 11 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air annually, the equivalent of adding about 1,700,000 cars to our roads. Furthermore, the plant will increase the amount of coal coming to North Carolina from mountain top removal coal mines, an egregious practice that causes horrific environmental destruction in surrounding communities.
Duke Energy claims that this plant expansion is necessary to meet growing energy needs at a reasonable cost. However, studies from the North Carolina Utilities Commission have shown that a combination of efficiency initiatives and the incorporation of renewable technologies into energy sourcing could meet a significant portion of this need.
You can make a difference by sending an email to vance@ncuc.net. Let the N.C. Utilities Commission hear what you have to say before the decision is made on Feb. 28.
Duke Energy CEO James Rogers once stated, “The most efficient and environmentally responsible plant you can build is the one that you don’t build” Together, we can make sure they don’t build this one.

Janie Hauser
Senior
Environmental Studies and Biology

____________________

Characterization of white men as sinister is offensive

TO THE EDITOR:
In a letter to the editor on Monday, two students felt the need to conclude their submission by noting the atrocious number of soldiers and Iraqi civilians alike “who have died for the imperialistic notions of a bunch of rich, white men.”
I am not rich, but I am male and white, and I find the perpetuation of people who look like me as soulless corporate and political leaders very troubling. Although white men do hold a disproportionate number of these offices, the negative connotations created by them are spreading to encompass all white males, regardless of personal character, and no one seems to care.
The fact that two well-educated students in our society would use the tool of common hatred via scapegoating a demographic is sad. There was no reason to mention the race/gender/economic class of the political leaders other than to evoke sympathy for their point by pulling from a common source of distrust, which only strengthens the antipathy people have for rich, white men. Do not turn to persecution in order to strengthen your argument; just argue well.
Please, do not use mention of “the white man” to serve as an emphatic, final stress to a point about injustice, as if to say “Look! White men were involved, and you know how awful they are!” It is hurtful, and I don’t like being made to feel poorly about myself, especially with regards to something I couldn’t control.

Jordan Wingate
Freshman
English and Philosophy

____________________

A closer seat is not always ‘better’ in Memorial Hall

TO THE EDITOR:
I write to clear up any confusion or frustration regarding Frank Sturges’ letter to the editor on Friday. The Memorial Hall box office, since re-opening in August 2005, has distributed over 110,000 tickets to over 150 events, with a third of them selling out.
The experienced staff is trained on “best seating” locations based on acoustics, sightlines and customer feedback. The most desirable locations are main floor center, front to back, and then moving to the outer sides of the main floor. This means that a more forward seat is not always a “better” seat.
The number of seats that need to be together is also a factor. A group of two will find more available seating options than a group of eight or 10. Also, 525 seats were held for the artist and presenters to distribute themselves. So before any tickets were distributed on Wednesday, seating was already a bit limited.
There is currently no precedent for the management of students camping out for tickets. The administration is beginning talks to develop a policy that will address this situation in the future.
In the meantime, Memorial Hall staff worked with police officers to ensure the student campers’ safety and to make certain the line proceeded in the fairest way on Wednesday morning.
CUAB and Memorial Hall should be commended for their relationship with concert presenters such as Cat’s Cradle and Live Nation. Both staffs work long days and late nights to ensure the success of these events.

Emily Montgomery
Box Office Manager
Memorial Hall

Britton Andrews
Box Office Assistant Manager
Memorial Hall

Rep. Price should do more to put an end to Iraq War

TO THE EDITOR:
In response to the “Pointless Protest” DTH opinion piece, I would like to point out a few glaring errors. First, although Rep. David Price initially voted against the war in 2003 (following an intense community campaign culminating in an office occupation), he has been a war supporter for the last 4 years.
If you look past his empty rhetoric, Price has voted in favor of every single Iraq war supplemental, funneling billions of dollars towards the continued criminal occupation of Iraq.
Congress holds the purse strings. If Price wants to be an anti-war leader he should start acting like one. Instead, Price spent last Friday on the floor of Congress voting for a resolution which ‘condemns’ the proposed troop escalation. Not blocks, not impairs, not stops, but condemns.
We spent our time on Price’s floor to point out the hypocrisy of a supposed war resister who does nothing to actually end the war and bring the troops home now.
Second, the DTH editorial board has suggested that our time would have been better spent visiting Rep. Virginia Foxx, a prominent war-supporter.
The DTH should consider examining the function of the House of Representatives. Congresspeople represent constituents who live in their districts.
So by all means, continue to print venomous condemnations about students who represent the beliefs of the popular resistance to the illegal war in Iraq. The next time you do it though, try to think about the political apathy you are inducing in our community.
At the very least, think of the 650,000 Iraqi civilians and 3,000 US service people who have died for the imperialistic notions of a bunch of rich, white men.

Tamara Tal
Graduate Student
Toxicology

Alisan Fathalizadeh
Junior
Biochemistry

____________________

UNC Dance Marathon was started by Greek Member

TO THE EDITOR:
In the article about Dance Marathon on Friday by Meghan Davis it was mentioned that Penn State’s Interfraternity Council started the first Dance Marathon.
It was also mentioned that other schools’ marathons were started by Greeks. However, it was not recognized that the UNC marathon was also started by Greeks.
UNC Dance Marathon founder Michael Bucy was an active member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Lambda Chi Alpha still volunteers for the cause and holds an annual Powder Puff Football Tournament benefiting Dance Marathon.
Although Dance Marathon is a campus wide event, the UNC Greek system played a major role in founding this chapter of Dance Marathon and continues to maintain active participation.

Ryan Allred
Member
Lamda Chi Alpha

____________________

Center shouldn’t have used Pit break up for promotion

TO THE EDITOR:
I am a woman. I am a feminist. I was in the Pit for “the break up.” And the one thing that offended me most was Thursday’s letter to the editor.
Never in my four years at this University has something dripped so blatantly with self-promotion as the Health & Wellness Center’s letter to the editor. Real or fake, I find it pathetic that the center has taken advantage of such a non-newsworthy situation to promote their otherwise valuable program.
There was an attempted rape on Umstead Drive Monday morning. Although it did not involve a UNC student, where was the Health & Wellness Center then? They weren’t teaching students how to avoid such attacks. Instead, they were capitalizing on a YouTube video’s 15 minutes of fame to shamelessly promote their program.
Two performers at last Friday’s comedy festival even joked about the accessibility of dark alleys for rapists to use on campus to a sold-out Memorial Hall — everyone laughed. Did the center address this issue? No. It chose to hop on the bandwagon of publicity surrounding a Facebook event, instead of addressing real campus issues.
If the Health & Wellness Center chooses to stand up for a N.C. State student rather than speak out against important campus problems like safety and sexual assault, it’s not surprising that they’re looking for any publicity they can get.

Blair Chancey
Senior
Journalism and Political Science

____________________

Breakup in the Pit is being blown out of proportion

TO THE EDITOR:
It modeled unhealthy relationships. It brought out the worst in UNC students. It reveled in the public humiliation of a woman. It was — gasp — funny.
But is the reason the pit breakup drew so many onlookers and supporters because it is emblematic of a deeper, chauvinistic trend of interpersonal disrespect? Was the event applauded because it was designed to be the humiliation of a woman, as such?
Of course not. What makes the event uncomfortable is the question: Is this really justified?
It is not that the victim is a woman. It is not that the relationship it signifies was obviously dysfunctional. You just feel bad for her.
There is a fine line between standing up for one’s self and cold-blooded revenge, and this incident crossed it.
In a just world, infidelity — on the part of a man or a woman — does not justify being called a slut in front of about 2,000 people. There would be a public humiliation every day. People would get sick of it.
But, though the disproportionate revenge is what makes you want to turn away, it is also what prevents you from doing so. And I like to think this is why someone would create a Facebook group to lure the better part of UNC to the pit on Valentines Day.
Because he realized he had the opportunity — nay, responsibility — to share this edifying experience with his fellow classmates, to allow them to witness perhaps the first time in human history where the cheater — as opposed to the cheated — feels more spurned. And, if for nothing else, you have to applaud him for that.
I say edifying above because one thing the incident has undoubtedly achieved is starting a conversation. It is the “don’t want to look but can’t turn away” contradiction. It forces you to think about these things. Do I have the right to be watching this? Does he have the right to be doing this? Who is more morally culpable? What sadistic, Jerry Springer-esque human quality has allowed this to get more than 30,000 hits on YouTube?
College is a place for facing tough questions like these. So, to say the event was inappropriate for a college campus is inherently a contradiction. No amount of free speech is inappropriate for a college campus.

Andy Jones
Managing Editor
BoUNCe Magazine

We decided to follow a student body president campaign because we wanted to show students just how much it takes to run for the position. When I sat down with Joe Schwartz and some of my peers in the middle of January to decide who to pick, our main criteria was a candidate who would put up no walls between the reporter and the campaign.

We wanted to show students the life behind a campaign, what it’s like to devote 24 hours a day to something you only have 25 percent of achieving. We wanted to show the behind-the-scenes politcs. We especially wanted to show the campaign staff, those who devoted the same amount of time but will never have the SBP title.

We narrowed our selection to two: Eve Carson and Nick Neptune. We felt that they were the two who would be most open to having a reporter tail them for a month and also were the most intriguing candidates as they already had a steady buzz behind them.

Carson had the interesting angle of being a candidate who had never been involved in student government. She was a fresh face, which would make an interesting story.

However we ultimately chose Neptune because of his perceived public persona. We wanted to know if that politician persona was actually him. Was Neptune always “on”? Or was that really him. In the end, we thought that would make a better story.

Neptune opened his campaign to me completely. I went dormstorming with him seven times. I went to five forums with his staff. I sat in on countless meetings in the first floor loung of Old East Residence Hall. I know the details of his life and his campaigner’s lives. In total, I spent more than 70 hours with him and his team and have more than 45 pages of Word document notes.

Neptune told me after the election that he was sorry I hadn’t picked a winning campaign to follow. But that wasn’t the point of the story. In fact, I think it made the story more compelling. The point of the story was to follow a campaign to see what it’s like to run for SBP. And for the majority of all SBP candidates, losing the election is part of the experience.

I wrote a story that was 43 inches long. Our average story at The Daily Tar Heel is about 13 to 15 inches. However, in that large amount of space, I don’t think I was even able to scrape at the amount of hard work that goes into any campaign. I hope that everyone who reads the story can understand and appreciate the effort that went into each campaign.

Students offer a chance for dialogue about column

TO THE EDITOR:
Linda Quiquivix’s recent column concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has incited numerous response letters to the editor and over 200 posts online. The editorial page and online message board, however, are not ideal mediums to foster the kind of discourse necessary for such a contentious issue.
In an effort to promote a sincere and fruitful discussion on the conflict, we will be having an open dialogue with Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom and Archbishop Elias Chacour; pioneers of interfaith partnerships between Jews and both Christian and Muslim Palestinians.
The dialogue will be held at 12:30 PM on Tuesday, March 6 in the newly renovated Campus Y Building. We invite all those interested in learning more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to attend.

Aisha Saad
Outreach Coordinator
Muslim Students Association

Alyssa Kaye
President
N.C. Hillel

____________________

DTH has responsibility to serve readers and endorse

TO THE EDITOR:
There are (arguably) well-respected newspapers such as USA Today that refrain from making political endorsements, but a newspaper whose mission is “serving the students and the University community” has the responsibility to endorse a candidate who will best serve the University based on objective analysis of each candidate’s platform.
The editorial board made an effort to write a balanced endorsement and even went as far as to call Nick Neptune a “great candidate.” As long as a newspaper endorsement is anchored by logical thinking and not arbitrary preference, the newspaper has not abused its right of free press.

Michael Winters
Junior
Public Policy

____________________

Endorsement has more influence than suggested

TO THE EDITOR:
Reuben Baker found that a “measly” five out of 11 of the past SBPs had been endorsed by the editorial board. However, I would imagine that this is hardly measly if he had taken into consideration the total number of candidates running for the position each year.
You can’t judge the editorial board’s effect simply by noting that the number of winners endorsed relative to the number of elections. My guess would be that the editorial board’s influence is far greater than the 45.5 percent rate than Baker lets on if he had considered the number of candidates endorsed proportional to the number of candidates in the pool.

Jake Kathman
Graduate Student
Political Science

____________________

DTH ignored the women who have put on the suit

TO THE EDITOR:
In response to the “Behind the mask” article in Monday’s DTH, I’d like to point out that men haven’t been the only ones behind the ram.
In fact, just last spring Stephanie Wheeler finished out three years of service as our beloved mascot. She was the second female to ever be Rameses in the history of UNC.
During her tenure, Rameses received significant recognition, specifically during the 2004-05 Men’s Basketball National Championship run and the 2005-06 Women’s Basketball season, which saw the team win the ACC Championship and attend the Final Four. Wheeler, as Rameses, served tirelessly as a representative of our University during that time, even making it onto the cover of Sports Illustrated College Edition.
Although I understand that the DTH was just covering the 2006-07 season, there was mention of a previous mascot volunteer — specifically one who graduated last year. Interestingly, Wheeler, who also volunteered and graduated last year, was left out of the coverage. I sincerely hope that this was just an oversight and not a deliberate omission in hopes of staying true to the theme of “men” behind the mask. Regardless, it is not an accurate portrayal of who has represented Rameses.
All the dedicated students who have sacrificed their time to pump up the crowd in the Rameses uniform deserve recognition — including the “women” behind the ram.

Krista Howell
Senior
Romance Languages

____________________

The Pit breakup modeled unhealthy relationships

TO THE EDITOR:
On Valentines Day, students were invited through facebook to watch a public break up and subsequently a private disagreement became a mass spectacle. Since then, it has been difficult to ascertain what actually occurred. Was it a hoax? Were the students who jeered the young woman aware of this? Or were they participating in an act of humiliation and abuse? The event, real or staged, holds important implications for the values and atmosphere at Carolina.
Though there is a place for humor on campus, the nature of this particular event minimizes the reality of the abuse inherent in the incident and models destructive ways of dealing with relationships. That said, a hoax is preferable to the idea of the break up being real and handled in this manner.
Harassment is a malicious act of threatening someone for personal reasons. Emotional abuse is serious mistreatment of another person’s feelings. This incident reflects harassment and abuse. So how could intelligent people take part in such an event? There were probably plenty of uncomfortable people there that day. They may have thought of times they were hurt and rationalized the abuse by convincing themselves she “deserved” it. Perhaps they were reacting out of their own fears of being vulnerable in relationships.
Groupthink occurs when the pressure to conform within a group interferes with decision making. Devastating events have occurred due to mob mentality and it is important to step back and look at how this incident occurred in our community. Carolina should be a place where people feel safe. It is all of our responsibilities to make it that way.
College is a time when people explore relationships. In that process people make mistakes. It can be tempting to retaliate. However, emotional pain is not an acceptable excuse for abuse and harassment. Rather, the skills of emotion management, communication, and tolerance are necessary in order to develop mature relationships.
Examining how this incident could have occurred — staged or real — will hopefully give us the tools we need to make Carolina the exceptional campus it has the potential to be.

Amy Schmitz-Sciborski
Meredith Mayer
Counseling & Wellness Services

Representative wrong to deny influence of ideology

TO THE EDITOR:
I feel a need to respectfully offer criticism in response to Dustin Ingalls’ Feb. 19 letter to the editor.
Ingalls gives three reasons why Student Congress is not divided into “liberal” and “conservative” camps. All of his reasons break down to one fact: Congress members do not explicitly identify as liberals and conservatives while going about the business of Congress. That much is true.
In practice and in reality, however, Congress tends to divide along strongly ideological, partisan lines, as has been accurately reported by the Daily Tar Heel throughout its Congress coverage — and supported by quotes from Congress members. Although many of the actions and bills supported by Congress may appear on the surface to be nonpartisan, oftentimes the actions taken by Congress are motivated more by the ideology of the dominant faction than by genuine interest in student concerns or the best interest of the student body.
Even Ingalls’ letter implicitly recognizes the existence and implications of this supposedly nonexistent partisan divide when it points out that one of the “groups” supported 20 successful candidates, and takes aim at finance committee chairman Val Tenyotkin for presenting views in opposition to that majority group.
While I hate that Congress has gotten to a point where such a strong ideological divide has begun to influence the body’s decision making, I strongly believe that Rep. Ingalls does us all a disservice in attempting to deny not only the influence of partisanship but its very presence in 88th Congress.

Cindy Plante
South Campus Representative
Student Congress

____________________

Editorial didn’t tell the whole truth on Congress

TO THE EDITOR:
What did the editorial board not tell us in Monday’s paper? Finance Committee Chairman Val Tenyotkin derailed a money saving bill (The Cap Act) in Student Congress because there were not 48 hours between committee and full congress. The board asked how Congress expects the student body to follow the code if we do not follow it ourselves.
What the board did not tell us is that Tenyotkin’s own Finance bills were submitted late as well (the day of the meeting), violating a similar 24 hour rule. That’s Title II, Section 160 for those of you keeping score at home. Tenyotkin conveniently forgot this rule when it applied to his own legislation.
The board did not tell you how a handful of members of Student Congress left the meeting so that Chairman Tenyotkin could call quorum and end the meeting immediately after so much time and effort had been put into it.
They did not tell you that the Student Code allows Congress to temporarily suspend its standing rules.
They did not tell you that the Student Code has no authority or jurisdiction over student lives unless you are in student government. This is not like the real U.S. Congress. Regular students don’t have to follow our laws. Now, the Honor Code you do have to follow, but that’s something entirely different and Congress does not have the authority to change it anyway.
It is a shame that this type of spiteful parliamentary maneuvering is occurring in Congress. And the incompetence of the editorial board picking and choosing what to tell you is disgusting and only distorts the truth of what happens on the floor of Congress.

Tyler Younts
Student Affairs Chairman
Student Congress

____________________

I will continue fighting against wasteful spending

TO THE EDITOR:
The editorial entitled “Roberts Rules of Disorder” criticized me for calling a special Congress meeting in order to consider the Cap Act, a bill which has the potential to fix our budget crisis. I make no apologies for playing a little hardball in order to protect students’ wallets from money grubbing student government bureaucrats.
Rep. Val Tenyotkin, a vocal opponent of the money-saving Cap Act, opened Pandora’s box of ugly parliamentary procedure when he used an obscure rule to derail this important bill. Calling a special meeting was only fighting fire with fire.
The students’ hard-earned money is at stake here and they deserve to have their Congress consider this bill in a timely fashion.
In my time remaining in Student Congress I will continue to fight hard against wasteful spending and fee increases. If that bothers the editorial board, then fine. Keep the criticism coming. Nothing makes me more proud than when you take not of my efforts on that front.

Luke Farley
Speaker
Student Congress

____________________

Pit breakup brought out the worst in UNC students

TO THE EDITOR:
I write in response to the recent “break up in the Pit” incident. As most of the campus knows at this point, one of our male students invited other students, via Facebook, to come and witness his breakup with his girlfriend. He arranged for the Loreleis to sing at the event. A video version of the event is circulating on youtube.
As the director of the Carolina Women’s Center, a campus unit that works against sexual assault and relationship violence and for women’s equity and empowerment, I am horrified and disappointed at the behavior of the members of the Carolina community who were in attendance and who supported and enabled this incident. I am aware that there are allegations the incident was staged. The idea that this was premeditated (as some kind of anti-Valentine’s Day performance piece?) is even more upsetting.
I wonder why the audience, men and women both, found it entertaining to witness the public humiliation of a woman. I wonder why the audience, men and women both, found it appropriate to chant “slut, slut, slut” while they were shaking their fists at the woman involved. I wonder why shouts of “slap her” were met with enthusiasm, by both men and women audience members, instead of outrage. I wonder how anyone is supposed to feel safe on a campus where this is seen as an acceptable activity.
I do not believe in, and the Carolina Women’s Center does not promote, censorship. While I wholeheartedly support freedom of speech on campus, I also believe that we should all exercise good judgment in our speech. We should not use the pit area to humiliate or harass others. We are all part of a learning community and an institution of higher education that helps to develop current and future leaders for our campus, our state, our nation and our world. If this incident is considered tolerable or ethical behavior, we all have reason to be fearful and concerned, and to recommit ourselves to the work of building a safe, respectful, and diverse community.

Donna M. Bickford
Director
Carolina Women’s Center

Editorial took my quote on tuition out of context

TO THE EDITOR:
Your editorial “For tuition’s sake” cries out for clarification. In reference to my defense of the Board of Trustees’ decision to increase nonresident undergraduate tuition by $1,250, you quote me as saying, “It seems to be tuition for tuition’s sake.”
That statement was taken from a news story in which I was asked about the trustees’ current policy of taking nonresident tuition to the 75th percentile, a policy that the Board has indicated it wants to reconsider. I shall urge them to do so.
As I said in my statement to the Board of Governors, the driver for this and all campus-based tuition increase is the need to support faculty salaries. That is the driver. It is our number one priority.
To prevent large increases in tuition in future years, we must all work hard for approval by the General Assembly of the Board of Governors expansion budget request, which would help close the gap in faculty salaries. Such action would remove the need for substantial campus-based tuition increases next year.

James Moeser
Chancellor

____________________

DTH endorsement is not fair to other candidates

TO THE EDITOR:
Every day, I pick up a copy of the DTH on my way to class or work. I enjoy reading the paper, as it keeps me up to date on what is happening around campus.
I couldn’t wait until last Tuesday to see which SBP candidate your paper would endorse.
This is my problem. I believe that a DTH endorsement gives an unfair advantage to a candidate in student elections. The position of student body president (or any other student position) should not be treated as a sporting event.
The following question comes to mind: Over the past 10 years, how many DTH-endorsed SBP candidates have gone on to win the election?

Joe Rigdon
Junior
Biostatistics and French

Editor’s note: The DTH endorsed four of the last 10 student body presidents in the inital vote.

____________________

Both team and fans should be commended for series

TO THE EDITOR:
First of all I would like to congratulate the Tar Heel baseball team on a great opening series verses Seton Hall. With near perfection on Friday, a rookie sensation on Saturday, and another offensive onslaught on Sunday, they proved they were prepared to play.
But the most surprising thing for me was the crowd turnout. I would also like to thank these people for braving the cold to cheer on the defending national runner-up Tar Heels in a very good opening series.
Lets keep it up. Go Heels!

Grant Martin
Senior
Management and Society

____________________

Spencer endorses Carson for student body president

TO THE EDITOR:
Although my campaign for SBP fell short in last week’s election, my enthusiasm for this great university and its student government system has not wavered.
I have spent several days reviewing the candidates’ platforms and reflecting on my interactions with them during the campaign in order to make an informed decision on which candidate I will support. I have come to the conclusion that Eve Carson will receive my vote today for SBP.
She has demonstrated strong leadership that will set student government on the path towards even greater success. She has concrete ideas that are well-researched, and has strong interpersonal skills which will enable her to understand what students want on campus. I am especially proud of the fact that Eve and I share common ground on humanitarian and unity issues
Congratulations to all candidates and their supporters for a great election process. I especially want to take this opportunity to thank my supporters and ask all of them to vote Eve Carson for student body president today.

Caroline B. Spencer
Former SBP Candidate

____________________

Kite also supports Carson for student body president

TO THE EDITOR:
Sure it was a rough campaign for me with ups and downs. Okay so mostly downs, but I walked away tall and proud of what I had to say and the issues I brought up, and I honestly feel that they did not fall on deaf ears.
Aside from the many students who got a good laugh and enjoyed my campaign, many of the other SBP candidates were listening too. After working closely with them all for a month, I don’t think anyone listened harder to what I had to say than Eve Carson.
That is why she is going to make the best student body president not only from this pool of candidates, but will be remembered as one of the best student body presidents we will ever have. She brings a fresh face and approach to a stagnant system.
We celebrated the highest voter turnout ever in this election, and I think we have Eve to thank for that because she brings something new to the table.
She is going to pull this campus together in ways I talked about, but was never a strong enough candidate to do. I have full faith that Eve will change student’s lives, change student government, and change the way student government interacts with campus.
It is difficult to admit to another candidate’s merit over your own, but it has been one of the easiest things I have ever done. I follow Eve Carson because she is a strong leader, and she stands for change and I want Eve Carson to be my next student body president.

Jon Kite
Former SBP Candidate

Columnist failed to offer insightful discourse again

TO THE EDITOR:
While Linda Quiquivix persists in her disregard for responsible, engaging discourse, there are many at-large happenings of global significance — the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, political instability in South America, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — that are being neglected.
In her writing last week, Quiquivix addressed only the weakest critique of her previous column, her misapplication of the word “simile,” when she could have taken the opportunity to present her opinion with more clarity and less audacity. Instead, she essentially flipped readers the bird with a clunky tongue-in-cheek metaphor. This leaves little doubt that she is unable to see above the towering wall of dogma she has built around herself.
We suggest that you bring in a guest columnist on Fridays. Last year’s guest columns were refreshing and smart, and we look forward to seeing that level of insight return to Friday’s column. Quiquivix’s writings belong in a blog, not in a publication that affiliates itself with an institution of higher learning.

John Musci
Senior
Creative Writing

Daniel Stellini
Freshman
Music Education

____________________

Calling the CAA election a landslide is discouraging

TO THE EDITOR:
While I am glad that we as students have a voice and possess the ability to have it heard via student elections, I was disappointed with the way the DTH handled the CAA election results. In reporting the winner, the notion that there is someone on the losing end is implied.
I feel as though the front page article depicting Almond’s “landslide” victory poorly places the emphasis on the extent of the win rather than on the winner’s eager ambitions for the impending year. Winner or loser, both candidates are students — students equipped with enough energy, sustenance and courage to embark on a campaign that would reach thousands of their peers and faculty.
Such publicity of an outcome could potentially discourage future candidates from pursuing positions at such a high level in the future. “Landslide?” Carpenter still garnered 2,130 votes (34 percent), his competitor gaining 3,748 votes (61 percent).
I write not as a saddened supporter, but as a student concerned that the ideals with which we hold elections are endangered by such portrayals. College is the time for students with ideas and a passion for change to make waves and pursue positions of authority, regardless of prior experience.
While Almond prevailed in this case, I don’t feel as though his competitor should be only referenced to say he “lacked experience within the CAA.” The ability to elect is a luxury we as citizens of a democratic nation gratefully treasure. However, it should not be sullied by poor journalistic portrayals of events.

Caroline McMillan
Sophomore
Journalism English

____________________

Letter wrong to criticize candidate’s festival idea

TO THE EDITOR:
I am writing in response to CUAB President Erika Stallings’ letter to the editor criticizing Eve Carson’s ability to bring a music festival to UNC’s campus. I do not know Ms. Carson, nor am I a member of her campaign. Rather, I am a recent graduate who still lives in the community.
Stallings questions Carson’s concert planning knowledge and experience. Ms. Stallings urges readers not to trust Ms. Carson, and goes on to brag about bringing Ben Folds to campus to perform.
If Ms. Stallings had the interests of the Student Body in mind, she would not waste time complaining to the DTH about the potential SBP planning an event she considers to be her territory. She would instead offer up her full support to Ms. Carson and help her explore this idea to its fullest. I am sure with some hard working folks on her side and some sound advice — like from the “expert,” Ms. Stallings — Ms. Carson would pull this festival off without a hitch.
Ms. Stallings letter shows she is the CUAB president for ulterior motives — I speculate for her resume — rather than to enhance the student experience. A music festival would benefit the University, as well as the Town of Chapel Hill.
And to Ms. Stallings, don’t pat yourself on the back for the Ben Folds concert. It can’t be too difficult to convince him to come back to the town where his career began.

Eric Tucker
Class of 2006

____________________

Student Congress article was misinformed as usual

TO THE EDITOR:
The Feb. 15 article on the election results for Congress yielding a possible ideological shift from the current Congress is misinformed, as articles on the subject of Congress’ perceived turf wars usually are.
Of the 22 current members of the 88th Congress, 11 are in the “conservative” camp, nine are in the progressive camp or would have aligned themselves with them had they run for the 89th Congress, and two are, in my estimation, unaffiliated.
The perception that Congress is dominated by conservatives out of touch with the student body is wrong for three reasons. First, the alliances of members listed above do not support that notion. Second, votes rarely come down on “party” lines because Congress does not deal with divisive liberal-conservative issues, as I have said many times before in this paper.
Finally, two of the current “conservative” camp, including myself, are liberal Democrats, which does not support the assertion that the “conservatives” are partisan and the progressives are trying to make Congress less so.
The only way the “conservative” faction at all runs the show is through the leadership, Val Tenyotkin being the one exception. But considering the “conservative” group supported over 20 successful candidates in Tuesday’s election (versus the progressives’ nine) and that Tenyotkin does not have the vote of at least one of the progressive group, the power balance is perhaps even more “conservative”-dominated in the 89th than it is currently.

Dustin Ingalls
Speaker Pro Tem
Student Congress

Neptune defends criticism of his campaign platform

TO THE EDITOR:
On Tuesday the DTH editorial board commented on my platform as not being as substantial and original as they had hoped even though they still thought it was a “solid platform.” Besides this, the edit board found me to be a “great candidate,” with “extensive involvement” in student government, along with established “relationships with the right people in order to get the job done.”
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude toward the board for recognizing what I bring as a quality candidate for student body president. However, I must respectfully disagree with the board’s characterization of my platform because I do believe that it contains many substantial and practical ways of improving the quality of life for students.
My platform is based on three years of involvement with student government, the Department of Housing, Carolina Dining Services, and the Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence. I’ve spoken with an array of students and administrators, and taken time to reflect on what I believe we can do next year as students and as a community for UNC.
Everything in my platform will be accomplished, from renovating the top of Rams Head Dining Hall into a café-type space, to helping students register for courses they want, to improving dining options — such as bringing a Bojangles’ to campus.
I’m running for student body president because I believe that a life without purpose is a wasted one. For me it’s absolutely fulfilling to spend my time in the service of the student body.

Nick Neptune
Candidate
Student Body President

____________________

Roy’s technical helped out more than it hurt

TO THE EDITOR:
The student who wrote the Feb. 15 “Roy should concentrate on the game, not the fans” letter to the editor is way off-base. First he writes, “While there are many to blame for the tragedy that was the men’s basketball game versus VT on Tuesday.” Then goes on to claim that the one free throw made off of Roy’s technical cost the Heels the game.
So which is it, wise guy, one reason we lost or several? The truth is, Roy’s technical helped the team much more than it hurt them. Anyone who actually watched the game (clearly this kid didn’t) noticed that the next five 50/50 calls after the technical went our way.
Roy doesn’t get technicals just out of sheer anger. He, like all other Hall of Fame coaches, use technical fouls to make a point to the official that they aren’t doing their job and to get the crowd more involved in the game.
Students in the risers behaving in a less-than-classy manner does not help the team and it makes our school look bad, that’s why Roy stops it.

Austin Wenger
Senior
Business

Carson maintains that music festival is feasible

TO THE EDITOR:
Yesterday Erika Stallings criticized the DTH for supporting my initiative for a UNC music festival. Although she liked the idea in principle, she called it an “ambitious goal” that “student government types” would struggle to execute because of the required expertise.
I realize that a platform promising vision carries risk. However, my team and I researched diligently for the last six months to calculate and minimize these risks, and we are incredibly confident in our ability to implement ideas such as the UNC music festival, the junior year scholarship, and the big name speaker series. If we didn’t believe in these possibilities, we wouldn’t be running.
But no matter how diligent our research (the music festival is supported by Memorial Hall’s Director Emil Kang), there will inevitably be those who believe that such ideas are just too hard to execute.
Erika doubts that “student government types” can handle such big ideas, but I respectfully disagree. One of my researchers, Tom Allin, was instrumental in bringing Wilco to campus. He is not “a student government type,” whatever that may be. He is, however, the type of student who will passionately pursue a music festival in Chapel Hill, and we believe he can be successful.
Students like Tom, with input from leaders like Mr. Kang, will make our big ideas succeed. UNC is filled with talented and driven students. It is the responsibility of the SBP to incorporate these capable and creative minds whether they are involved in student government or in CUAB.
In my book if you have a passion and can execute it then you’re a student government type. That’s the foundation of our campaign.

Eve Carson
Candidate
Student Body President

____________________

‘Fired’ is the only fair term when reporting lay-offs

TO THE EDITOR:
I read with great confusion F. Marion Redd’s Feb. 14 letter “Headline implied layoffs were fault of employees,” in which Redd asserted that using “fired” equates to blaming workers for their situation. That’s simply not true.
To wit, here are some of the headlines returned in the Google News search I just performed on “fired”:
1. “Coca Cola Israel fires 50 workers”
2. “Two fired state workers fight to get jobs back”
3. “Bill would give rights to fired workers”
4. “Fired Santa Barbara Staffers Plan Continued Protests”
5. “Woman says she was fired for filing for workers’ comp”
The true connotation of “fired” should be clear from reading these headlines. Far from placing blame, it emphasizes the reality of the situation: an employer made a decision, for whatever reason, to sever ties with an employee.
That’s what makes “fired” preferable to pretty much any other word that connotes the end of a person’s employment. Redd suggests “job loss,” but that’s weak writing because it makes employees the subject of an action they did not perform. And don’t get me started on other terms, such as “terminated” — a business-world euphemism that sounds particularly ridiculous in light of the Schwarzenegger movies.

Chris Coletta
Former writer
Daily Tar Heel

____________________

Not all victims’ families support the death penalty

TO THE EDITOR:
I’d like to respond to Alexander Trowbridge’s Feb. 12 article about the death penalty, specifically the quote about victims’ needs. Yes, the years of waiting through appeals and delays are difficult for victims. But does the eventual execution really bring the “justice” victims long to see?
Not all family members of murder victims support the death penalty. My sister was murdered in Raleigh in 1975, less than a block away from the N.C. State campus.
I am thankful the man convicted was not sentenced to death. How could more death help me feel any better about my sister’s murder? Why do we kill to show that killing is wrong?
I know other family members of murder victims who oppose the death penalty. I ask the people and legislators of North Carolina, please do not continue executions on our behalf.

Jean Parks
Fletcher, N.C.

____________________

Roy should concentrate on the game not the fans

TO THE EDITOR:
While there are many to blame for the tragedy that was the men’s basketball game versus Virginia Tech tonight, one finger should be pointed in Roy Williams’ direction. Although usually idolized by UNC fans, he should still be subject to criticism when it is deserved.
The made free throw resulting from his technically foul Tuesday night ended up making the difference between winning and losing. This outburst was extremely hypocritical, as he always asks for good sportsmanship from the fans.
I think Roy should spend a little less time yelling about the behavior in the risers, and a little more time on calling timeouts to stop momentum.

Thomas Sander
Junior
Political Science and Spanish

____________________

CUAB deserves recognition for finally landing big acts

TO THE EDITOR:
I was thrilled that you chose to put the announcement of Ben Folds’ visit to Carolina on the front page of Tuesday’s paper.
CUAB is finally spending some of my fee dollars on a mainstream musician that appeals to people beyond the usual hip-hop fans.
I hope CUAB will see the wisdom of serving students who enjoy the type of music Ben Folds makes and will bring more acts in his genre to campus in the future. Please keep us posted on when tickets go on sale.

Nathan Barber
Senior
Business