Letters 2/26
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
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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
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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
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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