The Daily Tar Heel from Chapel Hill, North Carolina • Page 9

The Daily Tar HeelMonday, April 2, 19909 pitadiffig visible im commiaffliily Victims also responsible for declining conditions supports racism with ready be seen in the black middle class. This was the dream that Dr. Martin Luther King struggled to achieve. There are nearly 800,000 black households with a combined annual income of $50,000 or more, a 200 percent increase since 1965. These statistics will only continue to improve as the playing field becomes more level.

There is no denying that we need a social safety net to provide services for the truly needy. However, we need to make the recipients aware of their responsibilities to the providers of those services, namely the middle class taxpayer. The recipients have a responsibility to provide their children with a stable family environment, make sure they remain in school, keep them away from drugs and provide them with a sense of pride in themselves and their community. Their leaders must provide a vision that will lead them from a life of crime and poverty. I believe it will be impossible to solve these problems unless the irresponsible members of the black community are held accountable for their own actions.

Stephen E. German is a graduate student in business administration from Carrboro. eading The Daily Tar Heel on Wednesday, March 28, 1 came across an interesting article by Wendy Bounds titled "Prison trends cloud black men's future." The analysis correctly identifies the severe crime problems facing the black community, but it provides only one-sided explanations without supplying solutions. While racial relations in the United States are partially to blame for the substandard development of black human capital, no one in either the black or white community is currently willing to place the responsibility on the black males themselves. i The quotes chosen for the article point to the criminal justice system's inherent bias toward street crimes and the failure of Ronald Reagan's policies to provide meaningful employment opportunities.

The contention that the criminal justice system directly furthers the white-dominated free enterprise system is ridiculous. Bounds also seems to support the theory that black males should make an economically rational choice of selling drugs rather than accepting unskilled employment. These arguments have been in the forefront of the liberal movement and the black leadership for the past 25 Tyrone T.Jrby management transferred someone from their Greensboro store. In this case the employee was not given a chance to contest the charge but automatically believed to be guilty. I guess the black man in this company could go no further.

Seemingly, management was waiting for a chance to rid itself of its lone black employee and the opportunity finally came. In August 1989, Hungates' other black employee, Mike, left after being told that his salary was stagnated and could not be increased because of company policy. He had been there since the store opened in September 1 987 and also held the position of assistant to the manager. Three months after he left, a new white employee was promoted to the same position Mike held with the same salary Mike had when he left. Can anyone tell me that this new employee, without any prior experience, could learn in three months what it took Mike to learn in two years? Was his wage increase based upon his knowl All religions encompass same Students must make: site their business I- To the editors: In response to Christy Tell's letter of March 23 faith cannot coexist with we offer that a holistic understanding applied to major religions finds far more similarities than differences.

While people maintain that there are religious differences which can't be resolved, they fail to see the common themes. All world religions teach justice, truthfulness, compassion, love toward our fellow human beings and Jife in the hereafter. Baha'is acknowledge that the vari- ous faiths have differing religious be--Jiefs, practices and customs. These 'differences should not overshadow the unifying spirit the development of that which is noble and beautiful in 'human character, or, as some would say, the salvation of the human soul. Recognizing, as we do, the need for the ennobling of the human character, we are painfully aware that this has not brought about an enlightened society as evidenced by rampant racism, sexism, economic inequity and unre-: Strained nationalism leading to war.

In the past, these crises dealt with individual developments and were met by the coming of divinely inspired guides, such as Krishna of India, Moses of Israel, Buddha of the Orient, Christ of the West and Mohhamed of the East. Presently, our concerns are no less a crjsis, and a divinely inspired guide is e'qually important today. As is referred to in the Baha'i writings, today's divine guidance is founded upon unity: "The is but one country and mankind its Hungates artlessly Its stench permeates the air from Wall Street to Beverly Hills. As strong as the surging winds of Hurricane Hugo and seemingly as eternal as evil itself, it has now descended on the small town of Chapel Hill. Covert racism has arrived.

The residence this time is Hungates a seven store arts, crafts and hobbies chain with three stores in the Triangle area. This transgression centers on Hungates only black employee. Excuse me, ex-black employee. In late February of this year, an incident occurred at the Chapel Hill store involving this black employee. While on duty, he was charged with assault after a long heated discussion with another person.

Management quickly proceeded to terminate the employee without any reprieve whatsoever. According to management, they did not need to talk with the employee because they had four collaborating witnesses that heard the same thing. The employee had been with the company for two consecutive years. Starting out as a part-time employee, he had risen to the assistant to the manager position where he had been stagnated for a period of time. When the assistant manager's position became open, rather than promoting him, qualities LADAN ATAI Junior Political Science Vice-President, UNC Baha'i Club other faiths they are wrong, not because of interpretations of millennia old scriptures.

Many injustices have been committed in the name of Christianity. People have been enslaved, genocide attempted and civilizations destroyed by missionary zeal in the name of Jesus Christ Tell's one source of "true peace and love." As neither Christian nor Baha'i, I don't mean to criticize (or support) either faith, but simply to suggest that "blind faith" and "true believers" are dangerous things. DAVID MINTON Class of 1989 Political Science Staten Island, New York minish what could have been an effective voice for students. We need cooperation between the extremely diverse forms of student opinion in order to add value to each one and transform all. Since unified student empowerment is the ideal, it would be helpful to look at an example from the University's past.

In 1971, Chancellor Sitterson's Administration attempted to form what students saw as an autocracy by threatening Student Congress' authority over student fees. When this happened, students united and fought for their rights and had a strong voice. In effect, they promoted overwhelming student empowerment for they both demanded and received respect. This threat could not happen today, for the administration has learned not to be overt in its disempowerment of the students. Like racism, when disempowerment remains subtle and undefinable, it becomes a different and more destructive beast.

I don't have the answers, but this recently formed group of concerned student needs to realize that criticism is only the first step in the solution of the problem. A certain amount of political nihilism is necessary, but working with in the present system is also very important. The greatest challenge is in edge of the store or other Qr, could it be that the management fell; that he was more "appropriate" for the position and the wage increase? Subsequently, the employee was found not guilty on the assault charge' He is out of a job and cannot use Hungates as a reference because of the adverse publicity the incident caused. Why? Because after busting his butt for a company for two years, management could not spend a quarter on a pay phone to ask him what happened. They could not believe that a man was innocent until proven guilty.

Evidence of racial discrimination has to be nonwavering and consistent. I have named two incidents in just one; Hungates store within a year. The con-. duct of the management was inapprp-priate and prejudiced. I am so adamant about the management's behavior because am' that employee who was I.

hope that this community will not toler-, ate behavior like this in its retail stores, or anywhere for that matter. As for Hungates, I'm sending you' a quarter in the mail so next time you wfft' not have any excuse not to find out the' true story before you pass judgment fj Tyrone T. Irby is from Carrboro, Adrian R. Halpern through campus every day, headed to or from the Institute, usually driven by politicians and local officials from around the state who do not know: where they are going and, in thejr, confusion, contribute added dangers to the traffic hazards. A South Campus location for the Institute of Government, on the Uni-' versity-owned land near Kenan-Center, has easy accessibility driving in from out of towru Moving the Institute away from North Campus will not detract in th-least from the learning experience' of the politicians and public officials at- tending the Institute seminars.

A number of off-campus sites also exist which might make suitable new homes for the Institute. The current availability of the 6.5 acres of land across Franklin Street from Kroger Plaza is easily accessible to vehicles and has the additional attraction of economically benefiting the many local businesses in close proximity tb it. Given the layout of this acreage a low bluff crowned with a number of large, old trees that overlook Franklin Street purchase of this site would give the Institute an opportunity to make anaesthetic contribution to that part of town. Architecture is also a reason for rejecting the Whitehead site, either as a home for the Institute of Government or the School of Business. Whitehead dormitory, while not a marvel of form, is a building whose size and shape are in conformity with the surrounding lands and buildings thereon.

Given the size requirements' for the new business school, any' building large enough to meet the. school's needs would be completely, out of kilter with the aesthetic nature, of the area surrounding Whitehead-' dorm. I would be interested in learning how others feel about this proposal. Adrian R. Halpern is a law student from Chapel Hill.

Student leaders are mostly cut from a very similar mold of achievement, drive for success and self-importanpe which is by no means representative and inclusive. While this isn't totally bad, student leaders, administrators'and all leaders for that matter, have to lead and not merely dictate their own opinions. The only way to accomplish, this is to constantly evaluate and question the foundation upon which you stand, but allowing those with needs 'and concerns to define and represent thejse for themselves. Any student who feels a need to express an opinion shoujd have structured access to decisionmakers like the Board of chancellor, the vice chancellor of student affairs and others. This could be through both forums and individual meetings and should not be limited to pre-chosen campus leaders.

To improve the present system, it is necessary for students to step out of silence and speak loudly even if this is antagonistic. If we don't consistently question our present structure, nothing will ever improve. Tony Deifell is a senior anthropology major from Clearwater, and is the former co-president of the Campus Y. Stephen E. German years.

They have been proven to be intellectually bankrupt. In order to solve the complex problems discussed in the article, one must be willing to supply innovative alternatives that will shift the current ideological debate. Believe it or not, many liberals, including Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan of New York, support the introduction of novel measures. Their debate centers on the completed overhaul of the welfare system and the imposition of responsibilities on the recipients. Ideas such as Workfare and Schoolare are long overdue, and they stress the importance of remaining in school and achievement through honest labor.

Education is the most critical factor in attaining economic success in our economy. Black leaders must play a more active role, and they should have the courage to tell black males that selling drugs is wrong. They must also convince them of the dignity in honest labor. The family should play a paramount role in strengthening the entire black community. This trend can al citizens." Baha'is believe in progressive revelation, where religions build upon themselves.

The comparison commonly drawn is that of grade school where instruction is geared toward the intellectual growth of the child. For example, you wouldn't teach a first-grade student a third-grade level education. Likewise, it would be inappropriate to teach a third-grade student on a first-grade level. This doesn't mean that the two levels of education are fundamentally different nothing you learn in third grade negates what was taught in first grade. This idea of the continuity of religion is not new and is supported in many holy writings outside of the Baha'i Faith.

Here is one example. "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all the truth." (John For further study, we encourage you 12-14; Deuteronomy 18:15 and Matthew The ideals found in these passages are mirrored not only in the writings of the Baha'i Faith, but also in the holy scriptures of the Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus. We don't wish to spark a religious debate in the editorial section of The Daily Tar Heel. Rather, we invite anyone who would like to discuss these ideas to attend our open discussions in The Black Cultural Center, Fridays at 7:30 p.m.

sion since it presumes that one is already correct at the outset. By the same logic, can't it be concluded that South Africa's policy of apartheid is the one true solution to race relations since those that practice it believe it? I don't suggest that Christians are necessarily racists, but only that an attitude of "we are right because we tell ourselves we are" is very dangerous. Blind faith has been used throughout history as a political tool by numerous religious, social and political groups, the various Christians among them. There is an old cliche "1 billion Chinese can't be wrong." Why is it that some Americans seem to think that 300 million Protestants must be right. In a Tony Deifell If; I believe in the passion and validity of their concerns.

If this group plans on lasting any length of time, however, they must face the inevitable problem of becoming what they now criticize an institution. This is not to say that I don't support this group. Groups like this, with acritical perspective of the existing structures, should be a welcome part of student self-governance. Most officials in student government are students that aren't in touch with the needs of most of the student body, although if questioned they will quickly claim that they represent the majority. As with all of us, they know best their own needs and can only assume the needs of others.

But this is not the main problem. Ideally, we should have no representatives but should have a structure that allows each student to represent herself or himself. The main problem in student government today is the apathy about maintaining active, effective contact with students through the promotion of empowerment and self- Religious racism indicates As many know, UNC's School of Business has been looking for a new location on campus. Due to state funding shortfalls this project was placed on hold last week. Nevertheless, it is certain to be resurrected.

I would like to make a site proposal that has not been considered: move the business school to the present site of the Institute of Government. 1) It is close to North Campus, the center of student life on this campus, and Davis Library; 2) It directly abuts the recreational facilities of Carmichael field, the gymnasiums and the swimming pools; 3) It is beside the law school. It will facilitate far greater interaction between students and faculty of the two schools, thereby contributing to the learning environment at the respective institutions; 4) The Institute site could presere some of the precious green space we have left on this campus. The existing Institute buildings, with some internal renovations, could accommodate the space requirements for the new business school. And any additional space needs could be accommodated with minimal tree destruction.

If the business school moves into the existing facilities of the Institute of Government then where, one asks, could the Institute of Government be except North CampusThere are a number of good reasons supporting this view. The Institute should be allowed to occupy valuable North Campus real estate only if University life on North Campus is significantly benefited. I think it is not. North Campus is the center of learning for undergraduates and graduate students. Institute professors seldom lecture to undergraduate, graduate or professional school classes; the Institute offers few programs geared to undergraduate or graduate students; and, lastly, the Institute's contribution to student employment through research positions is minimal.

One thing the Institute does contribute to is traffic: Given the short-term nature of the courses offered at the Institute, many dozens of cars from out of town end up driving iL actually creating cooperative strategy to solve the problem. I agree with this group's feeling that the solution of this problem lies in giving the students with concerns a chance to express and define their views directly to the administration, instead of having their opinions defined for them by others. However, getting to this point is another thing from simply stating the problem. The strongest eras of student empowerment at UNC came with the moral leadership of people like Dr. Frank Graham, Anne Queen and Albert Coates.

Their leadership was effective and honest because they believed as administrators that they were not the best representatives of the students but that students should and communicate their own ideas about education, student life, and other issues. We need the administrations to allow us the same freedom and power. The Campus and Anne Queen used to organize dinners between groups of concerned students and the Board of Trustees so that students could ensure that the decision makers had an honest and accountable student opinion. Furthermore, when I am talking about groups of students, I am by no means speaking of groups of student leaders only. To the editors: Christy Tell beliefs can't coexist with attempted to prove that Baha'i is not compatible with Christianity through ratherwarped logic and a bunch of Bible quotes.

Tell was on the right track when she suggested "some might accuse Christi-4 anity of being close-minded in canceling out other rel igions," since she seems to be guilty herself. Through some rather jvc7ude mental gymnastics and a dose of Biblical quotations, Tell concludes that Christians are not close-minded in their 'belief that they are the one true faith since their own techniques tell them 'tjhey are. Only through blind faith could $omeone come up with such a conclu Student empowerment comes with self-representation JOHANNA MERRITT Senior Psychology President, UNC Baha'i Club ignorance of world of close to 5 billion people, Protestants make up only about 7 percent of the world population, while the Roman Catholics and other Christian groups an additional 26 percent. As an odd coincidence, Christians make up about the same percentage of the world population the whites do in South Africa, only 33 percent. While Tell claims she desires an end to racism, her beliefs seem to suggest a form of religious "racism." With an attitude that suggests that her religion is the only right one, can it be possible for her to believe that my race is equal to yours? Her defense might be that racism is bad because the Bible says so.

Injustices are wrong because representation of all students. There is little or no effective dialogue. Come-to-me "Pit-Sits" are a step out of the darkness that has engulfed Student Congress in past, but they are not enough. Pit Sits are passive and separatist. Student government needs to actively seek student opinion rather than expect student to come to it.

This recent petition proves that over 1,000 student were unhappy, yet never came to the Pit Sits to express these opinions. I don't know if it will ever be possible to have an ideal representation of the student body. But unless we constantly question and evaluate the foundations of our establishements (Student Congress, the Academia, the Administration, and even our own Minds), we are doing more of a disservice than if we were to actively promote something as ignorant as racism. I do believe that all groups of students need to communicate and work together in positive ways. This recently formed group may not be serving its proclaimed purpose if it were to foster a dualism of student opinion.

A separation would just put more power into the hands of the administration allowing it to listen to whoever serves best its interests. Consequently, this might di this campus, students are as sumed apathetic until proven interested, naive until proven aware, and sheep to be led until proven intelligent human beings with individ-, ual concerns. Frankly, it angers me. We are not taken seriously. Given the huge chasm between most students and those that claim to represent us, it is understandable that there is a growing dissatisfaction with the administration and Student Congress.

These institutions, due to their limited contact with most students, have little right to speak for us. Yet they continue to assume knowledge of our needs, and worse to ma-, nipulate or even ignore our concerns. No university can exist without stu-, dents. This University was created for like Hinton James, the first person to enroll in 1795. Unfortunately, the emphasis is no longer placed on the "students.

Because the students are the ('most important part of any university, all that they want to be heard should be given a high platform and an amplified voice. Students need to be empowered. By this I mean students should have effective dialogue with those in positions of influence. I'm not a part of the recent formation of concerned students that petitioned during the elections, but 1.