One of the things I’ve been wanting to do with this blog is comment on some stories in the paper that either a) don’t deserve a full column or b) are way outside of my topic area as a community/sports columnist.
So far this year though, I’ve been reading papers two or three days late. Not today though.
Here are the stories and links that have got me thinking.
Town News
- The town approved some off-campus blue lights. Even though I think these things are ridiculous and ineffective at deterring crime, they make other people feel safe, which is really what counts. I’ve got to give kudos to Eve Carson for getting this passed. Even though Allred started this initiative, Eve saw it through, which is easier said than done when it comes to town politics.
- The town also found a police chief… right under their own nose. It’s comforting to know that he’s someone who’s been around and knows the scene, though he’ll likely maintain the status quo in just about every respect. I’ve always wondered what would happen if they hired a rogue police chief by accident and he started arresting students for underage drinking and putting the clamp down on Halloween on Franklin street. What would the University do? Would they openly oppose him, knowing that students are call their parents to complain, but risk losing face for supporting partying or would they throw the students under the bus and stay hush hush? I’m honestly not sure.
Possible Column Spoiler
- I may more may not be writing a column on smog in the local area (you’ll have to wait and see if you should skip reading it altogether), but this story about growth in Chatham county really interested me. What concerns me from a pollution point of view is that they are already planning ahead for road expansions. The problem with that is that people will always, ALWAYS chose their cars over public transportation as long as cars are more convenient. In America, we plan for cars first, so people use their cars. That’s how it goes.
Senior Class Gift
- Two things ran side by side about this today: a letter to the editor (in support) and an editorial (opposing the choice of Carolina for Kibera). As a senior class marshall, I’m clearly biased on this issue, but I think the senior class gift is a good one for a couple of reasons. First, Senior Class Gift is a misnomer – physical gifts are no longer given to the campus. Instead, the Senior class officers pick a cause they want to support, but anyone can give to just about anything connected with the University. It’s kind of bizzare, but it’s the rules. Second, CFK does do a lot for the University – it’s an excellent poster child for Carolina as a concerned global citizen and a breeding ground for social entrepreneurs.
Jena 6
- It was only last week that the Public Editor wrote a column explaining why the Jena 6 hadn’t been covered in the DTH. Now the paper is saturated with it.
- This story is about an on campus discussion about the incident.
- This is a letter to the editor about why the charges against the Jena 6 need to be reduced even further.
Now I’m not going to touch this issue from the stand point of a commentary, for two reasons: 1) I already have enough stress in my life and 2) I might be the least informed person out there when it comes to this issue. I’m can’t even tell you the sequence of events when it comes to this incident…. which seems to be a common problem. Just about every time I hear someone talk about the incident, I hear different facts. As a remedy for that, I suggest this piece from Slate.com, which does a good job of framing the issue (although it does have it’s own slant – oped pieces are much easier for me to read, because I can easily identify the slant).
Alright, that was fun. Hopefully I’ll get to it again tomorrow.
