Opinion - The Daily Tar Heel

Condoms can be hard to come by

By Abbey Caldwell | Sep. 11, 2009

The priorities of the Harris Teeter in Carrboro are a little out of whack.The store keeps its condoms behind the customer service desk, so customers have to ask an employee for assistance to purchase them.There’s something terribly wrong with that.I’d heard rumors that condoms are where they are because they’re a “high-theft item.”So when I decided to look into the issue further, I thought it might be a fruitless search. It’s tough to argue with corporate measures combating petty larceny.

Square deal: University Square development must serve many

By Editorial Board | Sep. 11, 2009

Granville Towers and University Square are an eyesore, but the University shouldn’t rush to demolish the towers or the square now that it controls the property.

Student advisers a plus: New peer advising program is a great idea, should help students navigate the University

By Editorial Board | Sep. 11, 2009

With the addition of peer advisers, students will now have an opportunity to receive academic mentoring from their fellow students. The Academic Advising Program is still in place to help students with some of the more administrative problems they may face, but the peer advising program gives students something they have never had before — an adviser their age, with similar interests and ambitions, who has useful knowledge to share.

Hiking the fee trail: Some hikes might be warranted, but students should scrutinize all proposed fee increases

By Editorial Board | Sep. 10, 2009

After the N.C. General Assembly-mandated $200 tuition increase and rumors of a larger hike for out-of-state students, the proposed $85 student fee increase might seem like bad timing.That’s why students need to be cognizant of the proposed increases. As the various fee committees meet to decide whether to bump annual fees to $1,845, students should scrutinize the proposals so they have a full understanding of where their money is going.

School spirit overlooked in Fuller’s column on slurs

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 10, 2009

TO THE EDITOR: I commend Jessica Fuller for attending UNC’s opening football game last Saturday, but I think maybe she was missing the point of the game in her column (“Slurs only reinforce gender labels,” Aug. 7). The point wasn’t to be politically correct — the point was to cheer on our team.

Political correctness and free speech at the DTH

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 10, 2009

TO THE EDITOR: I recently replied to a column by Domenic R.A. Powell (“Pause helpful for calmer analysis,” Aug. 26), which compared Youth for Western Civilization to a rotten apple, claiming that Marcus Epstein, charged with a hate crime, was an early leader.

Insults help to reinforce gender labels, stereotypes

By Caroline Johnson | Sep. 9, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:Jessica Fuller’s column (“Slurs only reinforce gender labels,” Sept. 9) is right on the money. It’s depressing and demeaning to hear serious issues, such as rape, declared in superficial and childish insults. As a close friend of a rape survivor, I am not amused by people who toss such words around lightly.By the female-negative nature of the insults Fuller described, it appears women don’t waste time forming new insults that offend men or glorify our own bodies.

Push for a South Campus ‘Pit’ doesn’t make sense

By Alex Jakubsen | Sep. 9, 2009

TO THE EDITOR: The Daily Tar Heel article “Campus moving South” (Sept. 9) outlined a valid but sophistic line of reasoning for hosting more events on South Campus. Administrators argued that because the majority of students live on South Campus, events should be held there, presumably because it would make it easier for them to participate.

QuickHits for Sept. 10

By Editorial Board | Sep. 9, 2009

AttractivenessThumbs downAccording to a recent study, more attractive people get higher GPAs in high school. Anybody who didn’t already know high school is a complete popularity contest just wasn’t paying attention.SnakesThumbs upA new N.C. law says that owners of snakes must keep their pets in bite- and escape-proof cages. Keeping a snake in its cage is a good thing, especially if you don’t want to take things too fast.Butt CakesThumbs down

N.C. Governor’s school is an important investment

By Laura Hartley | Sep. 9, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:As a 2006 Governor’s School alumnus, I couldn’t ignore Ms. Bale’s letter to the editor criticizing the past policy of free tuition (“North Carolina Governor’s School shouldn’t be free,” Sept. 9). Her ignorance on the subject is excusable, being from out of state with no knowledge of the school. Please allow me to enlighten you.

Microloan officer clears up editorial’s inaccuracies

By Andrea Ramos | Sep. 9, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:The Community Empowerment Fund seeks to clarify and to correct the editorial “Lending a hand” (Sept. 8) in which suggestions for the program were made.During the CEF pilot program — currently the only microloan program in the country for the homeless — we processed 18 loan applications and approved five. In place of a loan, the unapproved applicants received support from a minimum of two student volunteers who spent countless hours connecting them to services in the community to better their current situation.

Expansion not priority

By Editorial Board | Sep. 9, 2009

The Chapel Hill Public Library might be one of the top public libraries in the state, but plans that call for the town to borrow approximately $16.3 million to expand the existing facility are excessive.Dried-up revenues have forced the town to make funding cuts to vital programs. Spending millions of dollars on a library expansion should be at the bottom of the list.When the budget tightens and spending is reined in, local government must focus on maintaining the status quo and keeping citizens safe. Expanding a library does neither.

Liquor laziness

By Editorial Board | Sep. 9, 2009

Only pure negligence can account for the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission’s limited operations over the past four months.Because the commission only has one sitting member, it cannot issue liquor licences to restaurants and no violations can be heard.Gov. Bev Perdue simply needs to appoint another member to the board in order for it to resume full operation.The ABC board is supposed to meet monthly, but because N.C. statute requires a majority of members to be present for public meetings, the commission cannot convene.

Get your H1N1 facts, vaccine

By Andrew Moon | Sep. 9, 2009

The fear-mongering scientists have underestimated me again. They forgot that the mutant super-bacteria in beer pong cups are no match for my young immune system, even when it is handicapped by a string of all-nighters.So why do they think I need a vaccine to protect against a flu that started in pigs? I eat those things for breakfast — literally.Alas, this is one of those times when sucking up my pride and getting vaccinated is worth it.

Slurs only reinforce gender labels

By Jessica Fuller | Sep. 8, 2009

There was no doubting this past weekend that Carolina football had begun.I could barely see the field through the sea of powder blue, but my ears assured me that the athletic season was in full swing. Over the marching band blaring the fight song and the helmets cracking on the gridiron, I heard the traditional call of the Tar Heel fan: “Hey Citadel, you suck!”Of course, what exactly The Citadel was sucking was rarely specified, but I’m pretty sure most fans knew which direct object followed.

Tutor for the community: Habitat for Humanity program an important asset

By Editorial Board | Sep. 8, 2009

A joint effort by the Hillsborough Police Department and UNC Habitat for Humanity offers a great way for University students to help in the community through tutoring.The tutoring sessions are conducted by UNC students and are available to all Orange County grade-school students wanting to attend.Unfortunately, the program only runs twice a week, on Mondays and Tuesdays, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., and registration is limited to about 15 students per session.

Rain on our parade: Jones’ administration should host an exciting and inclusive parade or not at all

By Editorial Board | Sep. 8, 2009

Student Body President Jasmin Jones is moving forward with plans to revive UNC’s Homecoming parade as a way to showcase school spirit.But with time and budget restraints, the proposed parade is shaping up to be modest at best. With only an hour for the parade to start and finish and a limited amount of money, no floats will be featured and some student groups will inevitably get left out. Reinstating a comprehensive Homecoming parade is impractical in a time of budget cuts.

Take a hike: University misled out-of-state students by indicating they wouldn’t face more tuition raises

By Editorial Board | Sep. 8, 2009

Out-of-state students who thought they were safe from onerous tuition hikes this year shouldn’t hold their breath. It was announced at Friday’s Faculty Council meeting that the option for higher tuition hikes for these students is now on the table. Raising the possibility for further tuition increases does not guarantee that out-of-state students will get a larger hike. However, it flies in the face of previous gestures by officials implying that out-of-state students were safe.

Congressman Price should have brought bill with him

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 8, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:Most agree a Congressman should be well-prepared for a town hall meeting with their constituents on health care reform. However, U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C., fell short of such preparation on Sept. 2. In fact, the Congressman had the audacity to conduct a town hall at UNC without a copy of the very bill which he so adamantly supports and claims to be so knowledgeable of.

North Carolina Governor’s School shouldn’t be free

By Letter to the Editor | Sep. 8, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:In response to the editorial “Keep school free,” (Sept. 3), I would like to the author ask a very simple question: What’s with the sense of entitlement?As a native of Maryland, I was not given the opportunity to attend a governor’s school. I honestly had no idea what one was until my freshman year at Carolina, so I readily admit that I just don’t get the big deal.