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CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers, In Executive Online Editor Matt Keenan’s piece (Rethinking Islam, page 18,) he writes that “feelings of bias and mistrust against Muslims are ensconced in the American public education system” as a result of the American systems of media and politics. Given recent events, I urge everyone reading this to take stock of the unconscious biases they have, those that may only show themselves in our thoughts, and try to flesh out what societal forces may have influenced them. Not only education, but family, films, online discourse, and a host of other things may have had a hand in forming many of our intimate assumptions. Why do we hold the beliefs about groups that we do? Recognizing them is a first step to change.
CHAPEL HILL REMEMBERS
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LGBTQ REPRESENTATION IN TELEVISION
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SPROUT! A LOOK AT UNC’S MOST INNOVATIVE GREEN GROUP
From the Blog Sexual Assault Training Module Chapel Hill Shooting Atlantic Coast Pipeline What the GOP Has In Store
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History of LGBTQ TV The Syrian Spring State of UNC Rethinking Islam Ban the Box
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STAFF lindsey kellogg editor-in-chief ina kosova executive editor tony liu, caroline woronoff managing editors
matt keenan executive editor, campusblueprint.com
Thank you all for reading. We wish to dedicate this issue to Yusor AbuSalha, Razan Abu-Salha, and Deah Barakat.
layla quran, norman archer managing editor, campusblueprint.com
christopher phompraseut creative director jennifer waldkrich public relations and social media director
anisha padma photo editor ashley fox, ally mickler pr assistants
Yours,
ina kosova, matt keenan, tony liu, caroline woronoff, layla quran, norman archer, jennifer waldkrich, wilson sink, anita simha, sami
Lindsey Kellogg Editor-in-Chief
lachgar, duncan yetman, kelly hughes, cole wilhelmi, sandy alkoutami, dory macmillan. ally mickler staff writers christopher phompraseut, delaney mcguire, ashley fox, conor atkins, ashley anderson, lindsey kellogg designers
anisha padma photographers tanner glenn treasurer
Cover Art: “Figure in Motion” by Claire Drysdale
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G O L B E H T M O FR Campus BluePrint publishes blog posts several times a week. Here we excerpt some of the best. To read the whole posts, visit us at campusblueprint.com. “As a Syrian-American and former resident of the country, I have seen silence ironically written on the mouths of its citizens. Fearing retribution, Syrians and people of like political, social, and legal environments conformed to this suppression of speech. Until the Arab Spring, they remained silent in the face of brutal regimes, tacit rights infringements, and unceasing oppression. When I stayed in Syria each summer, I boasted about my free speech in the United States. As I listened to my friends whisper hushed words of anti-government slang, I reveled in the comfort of knowing I did not have to mumble my deviant thoughts at home. I could say whatever I wanted. I was convinced my freedom of speech was untouchable- never stifled. [...]
experience with speech in the academic realm. [...] With a full house forcing students to huddle on the ground for extra space, Mr. Salaita fervently addressed a number of vexed topics, ranging from the tactics of anti-Semitism, proving Arab humanity, and defining civility.
‘They thought civility was a perfectly innocuous word, and that people would find it convincing. You know, it’s one of those words, really, that kind of connotes innocuously. I mean, who’s against civility? Who thinks its cool to go around being uncivil? Civility is one of those virtues that everybody should adhere to and live by in some way. I submit that the fact that they are completely unaware of the profoundly violent connotations of that term and the Today, Mr. Salaita is not teaching as a pro- broader construct makes its usage even fessor in a lecture hall, nor does he work worse and in many ways scarier.’ he said.” alongside unflinching faculty and adminisStaff writer Sandy Alkoutami responds to a visit tration at a university. Instead, Mr. Salaita from Steven Salaita’s visit to UNC’s campus in continues to speak and write about his February.
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Sexual Assault Awareness Module Does What It Is Supposed To, Not What It Should ANITA SIMHA Earlier this semester, UNC Chapel Hill students were expected to complete a training module entitled “ Title IX Awareness and Violence Protection for Students.” It includes information about UNC Chapel Hill’s sexual assault policy, which was revised and became effective in August of 2014. It also reviews students’ rights under Title IX and the Clery Act, efforts to prevent sexual assault, and resources for reporting misconduct. Students must take it to avoid holds on their accounts, which could interfere with their course registration. Employees complete a related exercise. The module, compliant with federal requirements effective July 1, 2015, is administered through the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office and is intended to take 30-45 minutes. It has received mixed reviews, both as an important piece in the comprehensive strategy of sexual assault prevention and as too lax, basic, or pointless. The module provides information to make students aware of the policies and procedures in place. Under the Campus Sexual Violence Act
(SaVE Act) provision of the Violence against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA), colleges and universities must require primary awareness and prevention programs, along with maintaining ongoing prevention and awareness programs. While the module is a comprehensive review of federal regulations to raise awareness, it is not meant to train students in topics of bystander intervention or situational awareness. That information will continue to come from the mandatory Haven training for all incoming first-year students. This act will not change the content of existing trainings such as One Act. Provided through Workplace Answers, the module contains a variety of interactive learning mechanisms, such as predicting outcomes in procedural scenarios and revealing hidden definitions of important terms. However, it has obvious drawbacks. The module is easy to rapidly click through, with no extrinsic incentive
to proceed through it thoroughly. Students face no penalty for guessing or answering questions incorrectly. The Haven bystander intervention online training for incoming students features a quiz at the end. After completion of this awareness module, however, no accountability measure exists to ensure that students come away having learned anything. While the university has technically complied with amended federal regulations and its own revised policies, the flaws of this module point away from a strong commitment to education and awareness of sexual assault-related issues. Debanjali Kundu, a junior and co-facilitator of Body Politics through the Carolina Women’s Center, comments that the module “provides some good introductory information, especially for incoming students.” However, she does not believe that it effectively addresses deep-rooted issues
“The problem is that no one takes it seriously.”
Chapel Hill Shootings and the Role of Hate
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of sexual assault on campus. “ The problem is that no one takes it seriously,” Kundu says. Many students have expressed a similar sentiment. For many, the module was easy to click through without giving each slide much thought. Sophomore and Student Body Secretary Allie Polk said, “Overall, I think the module is an important first step.” Still, she believes more should be done to change the campus culture regarding sexual assault. Important topics covered by the module include a review of federal policies and the process of reporting. Title IX, perhaps the most often-cited piece of legislation with regards to sexual assault, protects students from sex discrimination. It specifies that no student may, on the basis of sex, be “denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity” if it receives federal funding. In short, it protects people from actions that may undermine their educational experiences. Clery Act is a multi-pronged approach to combating campus sexual assault, and includes requires college actions such as publishing of a public crime log and devising an emergency response, notification, and testing policy. VAWA amendments added dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking to the umbrella of Clery Act crimes. The Clery Act was also recently amended via the Campus SaVE Act to increase transparency on campuses. This new provision requires campuses to publish survivors’ rights and the college’s responsibilities and to provide primary prevention and awareness programs. The amendments take effect July 2015. UNC Chapel Hill’s revised sexual assault policy is also explained in this
module. Until 2012, sexual assault cases were handled by the university’s student-run honor court. Since then, various procedural changes have been enacted. It outlines three outcomes after making a report and receiving contact from the Deputy Title IX/Student Complaint Coordinator. A reporting party may request for no action to be taken, which the university will assess and try to respect. Voluntary remedies such as community support may also be requested and can occur in such a way that the responding party cannot identify the reporting party. Finally, an investigation may take place. UNC Chapel Hill still has a murky reputation when it comes to safety and sexual assault issues. A recently premiered documentary called “ The Hunting Ground” explores sexual assault on university campuses and the experiences of victims who feel silenced. It focuses on UNC Chapel Hill among other campuses, and it features two Chapel Hill alumni, both of whom file a Title IX complaint against the university. In 2014, UNC Chapel Hill agreed to participate in a climate survey by the Association of American Universities (AAU) to be completed anonymously by students. The survey has created controversy, since AAU will publish the results in aggregate. Some see this as a dodge by universities to avoid facing their own numbers. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and six others have led a bipartisan effort to make each university research and publish climate surveys inde-
pendently so parents and students can compare data when choosing a university to attend. Given the current context, image, and – most importantly - experiences of sexual violence at Carolina, it is important for the university to be proactive and resilient. From a certain perspective, the module is successful because it completes its goal of compliance with federal and university policies. However, that is not necessarily the appropriate goal to have at all. UNC Chapel Hill still faces mistrust and confusion regarding sexual assault prevention and reporting. While this module meets the bare minimum requirements laid out by the federal government, it does not do much in the way of addressing those deeply seeded issues. The module is a step in the right direction; it can be celebrated for meeting a legal requirement and for being better than nothing. However, more can and should be done by the university to show a true commitment to student safety.
“...it can be celebrated for meeting a legal requirement and for being better than nothing.”
Visit http://knowyourix.org for more information. To complete the module, visit http:// slate.workplaceanswer s .com/uncchapelhill/.
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Chapel Hill Remembers INA KOSOVA
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riday night, in a Harris Teeter parking lot, I met Solomon. Solomon is an Ethiopian immigrant from Raleigh who rarely comes to Chapel Hill and so he had gotten my Uber pickup location mixed up. While I sat in the back seat, my face almost completely hidden behind my scarf to keep out the cold, Solomon said: “Most of my friends are Arabs, Muslims, you know. They are afraid to come to Chapel Hill. Because of the shooter.” On February 11, 2015, more than 1,000 students, faculty, and administrators from UNC, Duke, NC State University, and NC Central University gathered to commemorate the lives of Yusor Abu-Salha, Razan Abu-Salha, and Deah Barakat. Yusor, Razan, and Deah were shot and killed in their apartment on February 10 by their neighbor, Craig Stephen Hicks. Deah
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Barakat, 23, was a student at the UNC School of Dentistry; his wife of six weeks, Yusor Abu-Salha, 21, was to start at the Dentistry School in the fall. Razan, 19, was studying Architecture and Design at NC State University. Islamophobia: What is it? In a study conducted by Gallup on Islamophobia: Understanding Anti-Muslim Sentiment in the West, the term “Islamophobia” is defined as “An exaggerated fear, hatred, and hostility toward Islam and Muslims that is perpetrated by negative stereotypes resulting in bias, discrimination, and the marginalization and exclusion of Muslims from social, political, and civic life.” In 2011, in response to the question,
“Do you believe Western societies respect Muslim societies?” 52 percent of U.S. citizens polled answered “No, do not respect.” In 2010, 66 percent of Jewish Americans, 60 percent of Muslim Americans, 54 percent of those who do not identify with a religion, and 51 percent of Catholics agreed that most Americans are prejudiced toward Muslim Americans. That same year, 48 percent of Muslims reported to having personally experienced racial or religious discrimination in 2010, in comparison to 21 percent for Jews, 20 percent for Catholics, and 18 percent for Protestants. According to Gallup’s study, Americans who report the highest level of prejudice towards Muslims are more likely have the lowest levels of education, to be older, and to identify with the Republican Party. Looking at a more recent report, Fear Inc. The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America, published under the Center for American Progress and compiled by Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, and others, favorability ratings for Arabs and Muslims have been on a steady decline in the United States. The favorability rating for Arabs has dropped from 43 percent in 2010 to 32 percent in 2014; for Muslims, this rating has gone from 35 percent in 2010, to a peak of 40 percent in 2010, to a drop to 27 percent in 2014. Chapel Hill Shooting: Islamophobia? Muhammad Abu-Salha, the father of Yusor and Razan Abu-Salha, relayed in an interview with CNN what his daughter, Yusor, had told him of Craig Stephen Hicks: He hates us. “Daddy, I think it’s because of the way we look and the way we dress.” President Obama, in a statement following the shooting, also seemed to reference Yusor, Razan, and Deah’s Muslim identity as a motive for their murder: “No one in the United States of America should ever be targeted because of who they are, what they look like, or how they
worship.” But the Chapel Hill police department is adamant in pushing back against this narrative. They claim the motive was not hatred of Islam, but rather a “long-standing parking dispute.” The NC Attorney General stated that this “was not part of a targeted campaign against Muslims in North Carolina or anything other than an individual event.” Hicks’s wife, in a press conference following her husband’s arrest after he turned himself in to police, also denied that religion had anything to do with the crime, referring to her husband as a “champion for the rights of many individuals,” referencing his support of same-sex marriage, the right to an abortion, and equality in terms of race. But, while Hicks does appear to support movements such as gay marriage rights on his Facebook page, he also appears to be vehemently anti-religion, referring to himself as an anti-theist. His posts include graphics with the caption, “Religion: The world’s most successful pyramid scam—every member recruits their own kids” and “Why are radical Christians and Radical Muslims so opposed to each others’ influence whey they agree about so many ideological issues?” It is this to which those who deny any role of Islamophobia in this narrative point; that because Hicks hated all religions equally, especially Christianity and Islam, that he cannot have targeted Yusor, Deah, and Razan for their Islamic faith. Unfortunately, given the weaknesses and ambiguities that exist in North Carolina’s bias crime legislation, this argument may be sufficient in undermining attempts to label these murders a hate crime.
PHOTOS BY ANESHA PADMA
March 2015
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Prosecuting Hate Crime in North Carolina: A Rarity Nationally, there exist three categories of hate crime legislation, also called bias crime legislation. The first is referred to as Klan Laws; these were passed in response to the activities of the Ku Klux Klan and target specific activities, such as cross-burning, vandalism, and secret societies. The second category consists of Sentence-Enhancement statutes; these were passed in the 1980s and 1990s and allow a judge during the sentencing phase to increase the sentence for a crime if that crime was motivated by “race, religion, or the protected status of the victim.” The third category consists of penalty-enhancement statutes; this allows for an automatic increase in the offender’s penalty
if the prosecution proves the crime was motivated by bias. North Carolina’s Hate Crimes law falls under the Sentence-Enhancement category and is referred to as an ethnic intimidation statute, filed under North Carolina General Assembly Statute § 14-3 (2009). If a felon is convicted of a crime, in sentencing, the Court may take into account certain aggravating factors in consideration; these aggravating factors include ethnic intimidation, if “the offense for which the defendant stands convicted was committed against a victim because of the victim’s race, color, religion, nationality, or country of origin.” The operative causation standard here is “because of,” meaning the specified acts for which the defendant was charged were committed because of the protected characteristics of the victim. In 1999, attempts to amend this statute with NCGA House Bill 884, failed. The amendment sought to address the ambiguity of the “because of ” clause. There is no discussion of the degree to which the crime was motivated by the protected characteristics; is the characteristics supposed to be the sole cause for the crime, a substantial cause, or simply one of several causes? Nor does the NC statute address questions as to
the perpetrator’s mindset, making no distinction between the discriminatory victim selection model versus the motivated by animus model. Was the victim selected due to one of the protected characteristics or did the perpetrator select the victim in “furtherance of [his or her] hostility toward the target group?” Furthermore, NC ethnic intimidation statutes exclusively address misdemeanors, such as assault and property damage. So, did Craig Stephen Hicks murder Deah Barakat, Razan Abu-Salha, and Yusor Abu-Salha because of their Islamic faith? Was the victims’ Islamic faith a substantial cause of the murder, committed under the pretext of a parking dispute? Given the way in which investigating officers have discussed the case, it seems their interpretation of the ethnic intimidation statute is that the victims’ protected characteristic should have been the sole cause of the crime. In latching onto the “parking dispute” explanation, it is difficult for the victims’ Islamic faith to meet this “sole cause” standard. Now try explaining that to Solomon. Try explaining that to Solomon’s “Arab and Muslim friends.” Tell them it’s safe here, that it was an isolated incident, that it was just some man with an unusual affinity for parking regulations. Tell them Islamophobia is not real. I wonder what they’d say.
PHOTOS BY ANESHA PADMA
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A PIPELINE FOR THE ATLANTIC COAST? KELLY HUGHES
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he proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline is a source of controversy, offering opportunities for the expanded use of natural gas but stirring opposition among local landowners. As shown on the following map, the $5 billion pipeline would run 550 miles, beginning in West Virginia and ending in North Carolina. Announced last September, this pipeline would carry natural gas from shale in states such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. Dominion Resources and Duke Energy are the largest stakeholders in this joint venture, with a 45% and 40% share. The main benefit would be a steady supply of natural gas with cheaper and more consistent prices. However, proponents also argue that it would have economic advantages such as increased number of jobs. Currently, the project is in its developmental stage and already facing opposition. Although construction is set to begin in 2017 with possible use in 2018, the corporations in charge of the pipeline are still trying to finalize the routes. Public meetings are being held to obtain local feedback, and the pipeline plan is generating opposition from landowners in its path. Most of the opposition is centered at the head of the pipeline, where Virginia landowners are attempting to block surveys of their land by the pipeline companies. The companies are retaliating by filing legal action against the landowners, claiming that the surveying of private property is allowed under the law. In North
Carolina, there appears to be less resistance with the majority of the landowners agreeing to the survey. However, the company has already filed legal action against three North Carolina landowners who won’t comply with surveying. The opposition of landowners and reaction of the company foreshadows further controversy in the future, when the pipeline is being constructed. Constructing the pipeline requires a 200-foot corridor to be cleared through farms, forest and other kinds of land. The company has stated it will try to negotiate deals with the landowners, offering compensation. However, the last resort will be exercising eminent domain, the taking of private property for public use. This has sparked a debate about property rates that has left landowners feeling powerless. A second debate is also raging over the environmental impact of the pipeline. Those in favor of the project such as Virginia’s governor, Terry McAuliffe, argue the pipeline is actually good for the environment as it will allow the phasing out of coal. They argue natural gas is a cleaner fuel than CO2-laden coal. However, opponents counter that an investment in renewable energy would be better and are against the pipeline, which supports the increased use of fracking. Furthermore, the pipeline would cross through diverse biomes and ecologically sensitive areas such as the George Washington Natural Forest. Currently, the pipeline project
hasn’t begun construction. Its fate and impact on landowners and the environment will depend on the result of debate between the energy companies and opposition groups. Environmental groups, including Virginia’s Sierra Club and the Southern Environmental Law Group, are forming a coalition and their influence remains to be seen. The companies, however, are beginning to plan alternate routses, perhaps already feeling the pessure. The outcome of the pipeline project will have a significant impact on the direction energy takes in the region.
Courtesy of Dominion Power.
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GOP Majority Searches for Action in Divided Government SAMI LACHGAR
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hat seems like the least progressive Congress in the history of the United States has finally arrived. With the election of a multitude of new GOP members, Democrats have lost control of the Congress, theoretically creating an even more divided government (if that is possible) than the last. With a 10 percent approval rating from the general public, and polarization more evident than ever, the nation is watching in anticipation to see if the needed radical changes will be enacted. Now that the GOP has a commanding handle on both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the dichotomy between the two parties has grown more powerful than ever. The tradition of the “Blame Game” in the American political system will undoubtedly continue, especially with the way the GOP has started its 2015-year. Under the leadership of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the GOP has taken an interesting approach to passing bills by simply flooding President Obama’s desk with as much legislation as possible in order to gain more recognition. Somehow it seems as though Republicans never received the memo of “work smarter, not harder.” In a prime example of the GOP’s attempt to gain Obama’s attention, as well as the attention of the me10 • March 2015
dia, Republican Senator Rand Paul claimed that his primary focus it to essentially block Obama’s agenda. Paul stated that “Republicans will send President Obama bill after bill, until he wearies of it.” This quote fundamentally sums up Republican goals for the upcoming term, as they push forth partisan legislation that will ultimately get shut down. This is the GOP’s method of hanging on until the next presidential election brings about a change in regime, but the by-product of pushing forth bills that will end in frustration is polarization. Currently, the majority of Republicans are focusing their efforts on job creation legislation that will hopefully eradicate the lingering effects of the Great Recession. Although this sounds wonderful, the way the Republicans want to achieve this is by installing the Keystone Pipeline, which would be responsible for increasing the use of crude oil in a time when the government’s focus should be on creating green, sustainable jobs. In reality, the pipeline would only create a grand total of 35 permanent jobs, which is definitely not an example of our government looking at the big picture. Naturally, many democrats are heavily opposed to this concept, so although the legislation seems bipartisan and
job creation is definitely needed, the means to the end creates disagreements. Senator John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota spoke about the necessity for bipartisan action on subjects such as tax reform, but the reality is that there are too many fundamental differences between both parties to elicit action. Thune also mentioned that there are currently bipartisan efforts to alter Obamacare, but this simply would not gain enough Democratic support, meaning that the hours spent on constructing legislation are useless. Since losing the general election in 2008, the GOP has attempted to rebrand itself in order to target a larger portion of the constituency. This was part of the reason why the Tea Party split off and demanded more right wing, extremist policies and took many votes away from traditional Republicans. Today, the GOP is branding itself as a party of compromise in an attempt to make President Obama seem unreasonable. By changing their opinions on social welfare views and drawing nearer to the center of the political spectrum, Republicans are using their different platforms to gain more votes among previously untouched demographics. This is particularly ineffective because the GOP itself has become di-
for the past few years, education remains a hot topic. Interestingly, both Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on the necessity for Pell grants that help underprivileged students, but changes in opinion come from actual funding being given to public institutions. The GOP has slashed education funding time and time again, and has driven North Carolina from a prime academic state, to the rank of 45th in spending per student within the United States. “ The GOP always says that they are supporting America, but slashing the education budget doesn’t support America if the kids can’t learn to the full extent that they should be able to,” said freshman political science major Henry White, who has been in the North Carolina Public School System for 12 years. The political culture in the United States is at a crossroads, and has been at this point for the past decade. The
PHOTO COURTESY OF PETE SOUZA
vided on its beliefs, and different factions are popping up left and right. Furthermore, the biggest adjustment with the conversion in majority in Congress is that the title of Majority Leader has also switched from Democrat Harry Reid to Republican Mitch McConnell. This is incredibly important because the Majority Leader holds the role of setting the agenda in Senate regarding which bills are discussed and which bills are voted on at specific times. Much of the GOP frustration from the 112th Congress came as a result of Harry Reid letting approximately 400 bills that were passed in the House gather dust while they awaited time to be discussed. Now, McConnell is exercising his power to bring Republican issues to the forefront, which is charging Obama with the job of vetoing countless Republican bills that are sent back to Congress to attempt to overrule the veto. When it comes to the North Carolina legislature, which has of course been dominated by Republicans
deep-seated annoyance that each party has with the other will not be solved by pointing fingers or taunting during the State of the Union address, which was perfectly illustrated by Obama’s actions this year. Instead, common ground must be found between the two platforms, and as hard as that sounds, it is the necessary first step in restoring our government to a working state. The true test for the GOP will be to see if their past few years blaming Democrats for achieving nothing was simply a ploy to gain power, or whether they will actually succeed in actively changing legislation. Whatever the case, it seems as though polarization between the two political parties is still very much alive and well. As of now, it seems like catalyzing the transformation in a divided government will be quite the task.
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History of LGBTQ progression in television JENNIFER WALDKIRCH
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s one of the most common forms of mass media, television both creates and reflects American culture and society. Beginning in the 1940s, American broadcasting revolutionized the distribution of information by bringing the audiovisual format to average homes. By 1955, television sets were an important fixture in half of all American households. In this new environment, the concept of the idyllic American family was commercialized and refined. Families gathered around their television sets to watch black and white shows featuring perfect families with traditional family values. The show Leave it to Beaver, created in 1957, was a prime example of the suburban family, featuring a stern but loving father, a doting housewife, an athletic older brother, and a naive but endearing young boy named Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver. In the 50s, the prevalence of the heteronormative television family created a vast void in which sexual minorities remained unmentioned. It wasn’t until 1975, when a shortlived sitcom called Hot I Baltimore featured the first gay couple on television. Finally, in 1991, the first kiss between a gay couple on network television aired on L.A. Law. Visibility of the LGBTQ community in television has steadily increased since this time, but portrayals have often been fraught with cheap gay jokes that invalidate and dehumanize gay characters. 12 • March 2015
One of the first popular shows to wife says to her, “Don’t you have a feature a gay wedding was Friends little too much penis to be wearing in a 1996 episode entitled, “ The One a dress like that?” a cruel line that With the Lesbian Wedding.” The two largely minimizes the experiences of female characters, Carol and Susan, transgender people but gets a large remained supporting characters laugh from the studio audience. One throughout the show’s ten year run. might argue that these jokes were Friends was one of the first shows an attempt to point out the ridicuto frequently acknowledge the exist- lousness of male insecurities. Yet ence of the LGBTQ community. How- there was often very little context to ever, as some suggest that writhave pointed ers were aiming “While LGBTQ out, mentions of for anything othcharacters have homosexuality er than raunchy become a staple in were often deone-liners. many shows in the rogatory. These Perhaps the most jokes are so significant stride new millenium, they prevalent that made for LGBTQ sometimes remain YouTube user visibility in the 90s more tokenized than Tijana Mamuhappened during complexly explored.” la, created a 50 a 1997 episode on minute compiEllen DeGeneres’s lation video of show Ellen, called all the gay jokes in the ten seasons. “ The Puppy Episode.” Just two weeks Gay panic was a frequent joke on the after the actress had come out in TIME show. Main characters like Ross, Joey, Magazine in an issue titled, “Yep, I’m and Chandler would often follow mo- Gay,” Ellen the character came out as ments of physical contact with one a lesbian in the fourth season. The another in fits of revulsion, uttering episode had enormously high ratings equivalents of “no homo.” Chandler, and won multiple awards, spurring a straight character often mistaken ABC to pick it up for the fifth season. as a gay man, was constantly teased However, during this season, ABC had for being too effeminate. Perhaps prefaced each episode with a parenmost cringeworthy of all was the tal advisory warning, a move DeGehandling of Chandler’s transgender neres strongly condemned, saying, parent, a woman who is never re- “It was like this voice like you’re enferred to by anything other than the tering some kind of radiation center. male name, “Charles.” At Chandler It was very offensive, and you don’t and Monica’s wedding, her bitter ex- think that’s going to affect ratings?”
Ellen was soon condemned by critics who said the show focused too heavily on gay issues and was cancelled after the fifth season. While television creators like Ellen DeGeneres were eager to bring LGBTQ issues to the forefront of American culture, networks still believed American society was not ready. In the 2000s, LGBTQ visibility steadily increased. In 2001, Buffy the Vampire Slayer depicted Willow, a main character, meet and enter into a lesbian relationship with another woman, Tara. Amber Benson, who played the role of Tara, said in an interview that the show “brought [gayness] into the mainstream and said it’s OK to be who you are. It doesn’t matter who you fall in love with.” In 2004, Showtime debuted the show The L Word, a show almost entirely devoted to exploring the lesbian experience. While LGBTQ characters have become a staple in many shows in the new
millenium, they sometimes remain more tokenized than complexly explored. In 2009, Modern Family aired on ABC, a show propagating the idea that modern families were no longer the idyllic vision seen in Leave it to Beaver. Heavily featured on the show are a gay married couple, Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker. The show certainly has championed gay marriage, but Mitchell and Cameron often fall into heteronormative characterization. Cameron is effeminate and emotional while Mitchell is uptight and manish, often embarrassed by Cameron’s flamboyant nature. These characters often fail to move past gay stereotypes into fully realized human beings. As society has progressed its ideas on sexuality, television has tried to adapt. Sometimes showmakers are at the helm of these changes, pushing to create television characters that reflect the diverse American
population and sometimes they are lagging behind, trying desperately to sell their product to an increasingly progressive audience. In this mix of both inventiveness and corporate pandering, we see shows that often just miss their mark. Still, there is hope that there will be more shows that accurately capture the LGBTQ experience. Transparent, a new show on Amazon Prime about a trans woman coming out to her family, has been hailed by some critics as a bold push to bring visibility to the trans community. Shows like Transparent may have a lasting impact on the way the viewing public understands transgender issues. It is important that these trends continue and directors take note of the humanizing way in which LGBTQ characters are portrayed.
CAST OF “MODERN FAMILY” / PHOTO FROM CREATIVE COMMONS
March 2015
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SYRIASLY, WHAT’S GOING ON? The Syrian Spring: Four Years Later SANDY ALKOUTAMI
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nspired by protests in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, the Syrian revolution erupted in defiance of President Bashar Al Assad in March 2011. After years of suppression under the Assad regime, Syrian citizens took it upon themselves to continue the Arab Spring trend. Beginning in the city of Deraa, locals took the streets to protest against the arrest of 15 schoolchildren for writing anti-government graffiti. While these protests were peaceful to begin with, the Syrian army- directed by President Assad- opened fire on protesters, killing several people. Since then, the violence has perpetrated into larger cities, such as Homs, Damascus, and Aleppo. The original protesters gained immense numbers and citizenry support until it became a sweeping opposition. Today, the revolution is arguably a civil war. Neither the regime nor the opposition has shown restraint or hesitation as this crisis finishes its fourth year. With numerous facets and complications, it is crucial to understand the components that individualize this conflict from others occurring today.
The Opposition After America announced plans to aid Syria’s rebels with weapons, critics rejected the attempted support due to the apparent decentralization of the Syrian opposition- but who exactly is the opposition? Syrians and outsiders of the conflict believe that the majority of the rebels are merely jostling for power, rather than fostering national progress. The central political grouping is the Syrian National Coalition, an incarnation of the Coun14 • March 2015
A SOLDIER FROM THE FREE SYRIA ARMY / PHOTO FROM CREATIVE COMMONS
cil that began born in Doha during the early year of the revolution. Although recognized by the Arab League, some Syrians believe it is not representative of Syrian society at large. The National Coordination body, which is situated in Damascus, seeks to end the conflict through peaceful efforts. More popular are the armed opposition. These armed rebel groups collectively became known as the Free Syrian Army, a label rather than an organized entity. Liwa al-Tawhid, a more moderate group of the rebel groups, was formed as brigade to coordinate the battles in Aleppo during the beginning of the conflict. In addition to losing recruits to devout Islamist and fundamental groups, most of these groups receive little funding and support. Consequently, the Islamist groups tend to have more fighters, arms, and advocates. Jabhat al-Nusra, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, and Ahrar al-Sham are two of these groups that are at the forefront of
the opposition forces. Unfortunately, the activists, moderates, and those at the heart of the revolution’s efforts have left the country after realizing their efforts are overshadowed by the opposition’s decentralization.
The Outside Powers One word: Russia. Since the Syrian crisis, Russia has made it clear to Syria and the world that it will stand as the chief ally to President Assad. Besides Russia’s tendency to support unpopular regimes, it has reasons that are paramount to Russia’s sense of its own national interests, not to mention its view of itself as a wounded great power. 2Russia’s naval installation in Tartus is its last standing military base outside the former Soviet Union. Still driven by a Cold War mentality and a desire to maintain foreign power, Russia wants to avoid international intervention in the region- a principal reason for the UN referrals veto toward Syria. Financially, Russia has
a large sum of money invested in Syria, including gas commitments for $20 billion, arm deals at $4.7 billion in 2010, and almost $10 billion in reduction for Syria’s Soviet debt. As for Iran, its support for Assad is less monetary. Viewing Israel and the United States as a threat, Iran aims to use Syria as a shield from these powers. It ships weaponry through Syria to Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon, and Hamas. If Iran lost President Assad as an ally, it would simultaneously lose access to its militant proxies. Fortunately for Iran, President Assad seems to be clinging on to an alliance with Iran.
other, distracting and weakening the opposition for President Assad. ISIS, in return, benefits from the battlefield experience in Syria, recruits, and funding from Gulf nations. Although ISIS and Assad hate each other, they have made an implicit deal: ISIS will benefit from a relatively “free ride” in some Syrian areas, while Assad will indulge in an exhausted opposition.
The US Involvement
Beyond providing humanitarian aid, the United States did not have a military influence in Syria during the early years of the conflict. It was not until August 2012 that President Obama made decisive plans to interThe Islamic State vene at a certain point, or “red line.” Born from a depraved al Qaeda fac- He stated, “We have been very clear tion in Iraq, the Islamic State of Iraq to the Assad regime, but also to othand Syria (ISIS) has grown from an er players on the ground, that a red obscurity to an internationally recog- line for us is we start seeing a whole nized terrorist group. A year ago, ISIS bunch of chemical weapons moving was one of the around or besmall Islamic facing utilized. That “According to data tions fighting in would change my released by the Althe midst of the calculus.” While Marsad humanitarian civil war. While the chemical organization in Syria, weapon usage their presence was noted, ISIS called for immeover 210,000 people hardly received diate action, the have been killed its current attenUnited States since the advent of tion. Today, they did not militarily the conflict .” have professionintervene until alized, developed the latter half of a command and 2014- when ISIS control structure, and established posed a greater threat. In September themselves as a transnational army. 2014, the United States and four Arab After sweeping across and into Iraq, nations began bombing ISIS targets ISIS looted weapons from Iraq and in Raqqa. Because of these recent settled in the northern city of Raqqa, events, the Obama Administration Syria. Claiming between 30-40% of implemented a new policy realignthe territory, ISIS has proven to be ment for Syria that does not include an expansionist force with which to President Assad stepping down as a be reckoned. However, it is symbiot- precondition for negotiating an end ic relationship between ISIS and As- to the conflict. sad that fuels this extremist group’s The Numbers strength. In Syria, ISIS and moderate With any dire conflict, there is a rebels began fighting against one an- cost. In this case, Syrian lives are lost,
injured, and displaced on a daily basis. According to data released by the Al-Marsad humanitarian organization in Syria, over 210,000 people have been killed since the advent of the conflict. Of those killed, 10,664 were children, 6,783 were women, 35,827 were rebels, and 45,385 were supporters of al-Assad. The war also left 2 million citizens injured, and created a displaced population of almost 4 million registered Syrian refugees. Over 2 million of these refugees are living in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon. In Turkey, the government has registered 1.5 million refugees, leaving about 25,000 in the North Africa.
The Solution? With a crisis as convoluted as this one, a solution to the Syrian conflict is almost inconceivable and equally nonexistent. Whether the solution is military, diplomatic, humanitarian, anti-Assad, or anti-opposition, it is clear that the Syrian crisis may continue until one side buckles from exhaustion. Until then, we can only hope that lost lives, destruction, and terrorism are minimized for the sake of Syrians and non-Syrians alike.
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THE STATE OF UNC PHOTO BY ASHLEN RENNER
WILSON SINK
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very year, the President of the United States delivers an address to Congress and the general public detailing the State of the Union, what challenges it faces, what successes can be celebrated, and what hopes lie ahead. With the University of North Carolina facing its own challenges, the BluePrint sat down with Student Body President Andrew Powell and members of his cabinet to discuss the State of UNC. According to Powell, despite “many issues,” the State of our University remains strong, with a bright future ahead. Naturally, the conversation began with the Wainstein Report, released in October, which detailed the creation and extent of fake paper classes that had occurred over nearly two decades and affected over 3,000 students, especially athletes. The report was an “indictment of academics at our beloved institution,” according to Powell, which questioned the “academic integrity of UNC” and the “sustainability of the student-athlete model.” However, he was “impressed” with University’s response and changes, viewing them as the proper steps to restoring UNC’s image, reputation and integrity. Wilson Parker, the Director of State and External Affairs for the Powell Administration agreed. “Long term… I think most people under16 • March 2015
stand how perverse college athletics have become… The model is the problem, although certainly the people who allowed Wainstein to happen should be punished.” Allie Polk, the Secretary of the Administration had her own comments to add. To her, the report “cleared everything out in the open,” but questioned the “tensions in the wake of the Wainstein report, especially with athletes and African-American students.” Along similar lines, Parker feared the potential for an unfair stigma against the African-American Studies Department, in wake of the scandal. The threat to diversity extends beyond the Report, though, with the Board of Governors raising tuition, just as state funding decreases. “ There’s not really any more room to give,” Powell said, without impacting quality. “UNC is one of the best investments [that] the state can make for North Carolinians,” he emphasized, hoping that legislators in Raleigh will agree. Funding affects diversity, too. Discussing the Carolina Covenant, Powell reiterated UNC’s promise to meet 100% of demonstrated need. In his view, with this policy intact, diversity will remain despite tuition hikes, but capital support is necessary. Further, “rising tuition will hurt
our proud tradition of being the most affordable university in the nation,” Parker noted. He, like Powell had hope, though. “As long as we continue to meet demonstrated need, I think we will be able to retain a diverse and well-qualified student body,” citing his faith in UNC’s administrators. Polk added her admiration of “the strengths” of socio-economic diversity, and feared that raising tuition on any students, including those from out-of-state, would focus opportunity in the hands of a more and more privileged group. Additionally, as funds are potentially cut for research centers, like the Stone Center, Polk reflected on her own “frustration” at budgetary restraints, citing the need to look for other sources of revenue, including student giving, to support the University’s programs. Parker, though, did emphasize that Carolina was not alone in this struggle. “48 out of 50 states cut funding to their university systems,” he says; however, “we remain one of the best quality public institutions and are without a doubt the best deal.” Raleigh also has policy control over UNC and, in January, the Board of Governors voted to push out University System President Tom Ross, who took office in 2010. After leading the system through budgets cuts, academic scandals
and political turnover, Ross will step down on January 3, 2016. “I was shocked,” Powell said. In his view, Ross “was a very capable man [who] has given so much to the system.” Simply, his removal leaves “a gaping hole.” Parker was more inflamed, citing a Board of Governors “who didn’t even have enough respect for the public to be transparent about why he was being fired.” To Parker, such a removal “is disturbing.” Polk agreed, saying the move was “not a good sign,” but focused on the opportunity to build a “collaborative relationship” with the Board of Governors during the search for a successor. Any successor will have to address the growing issue of sexual assault on college campuses. Especially with new mandates on prosecution from the federal government and the University, the equitable prevention, punishment and treatment of sexual assault is a priority for the campus community. “I admire the work that UNC has done,” Powell affirmed, “particularly in bystander intervention and prevention of sexual assault.” He pointed to efforts within the Greek system requiring new members and executive board members to attend One Act training. In his mind, an ability to “intervene in a smart and effective way” is essential to addressing the issue. Despite current funding and capacity issues, Parker said that requiring in-person sexual assault prevention trainings for all students would be a “good step.” He also would “like to see male peer trainers who can reach men on campus,” addressing a key demographic that has not always been receptive to the issue. Polk thought, in some ways, UNC “is doing as much as it can,” though she bemoaned it cannot “move fast-
er” to combat the issue. Students reviews of certain education centers can help though, in her opinion “with to the recent deaths of three Musmore grassroots movements.” She lim students. According to Powell, claimed, “We don’t have enough stu- though, these issues “challenge us” dents getting out there and being ac- and create conversations and politivists” with sexual assault, pointing cies that lead to a “stronger and more to contrasts between this issue and thoughtful” community and future. the campaigns for coal divestment When asked where they saw the and the renaming of Saunders hall. University in thirty years, when their Powell and Parker both offered own children might be entering caution, though, on the pursuit of Chapel Hill, the group offered hope. safety in violation of the rights of Polk saw “two paths,” the Universithe accused. Parker specifically ref- ty she wants for her kids and the one erenced a letter signed by Harvard she does not. In her fears, UNC is “a law professors, which citied a lack technical school,” with a narrow foof due process and defense coun- cus, beholden to Raleigh. The school sel in the prosecution of sexual her kids will attend, though, is one assault. According to Parker, they with growing diversity, not too disbrought up “valid concerns” that are similar to the one she attends now. applicable, and worrisome to UNC. Parker saw his future UniversiThroughout the year, both UNC ty, “stronger and better than ever.” and the Powell administration have He cited North Carolina’s growth grappled with these issues and many and move towards a progressive fumore, witnessture as a driving ing growth in the “The work that we are force behind this process. In defuture. right now pioneering bright laying contextu Finally, Powat UNC ... can create a ell jokingly saw alized transcripts, more effective, more Powell and his his children’s team stopped equitable ... and more university “celwhat Polk termed our affordable education.” ebrating a “noble” idea fifteenth basto reduce grade ketball national inflation, but “ineffective” in its championship.” Quickly, though he current format. They gave the Uni- switched tones. He feared “peoversity more time to study con- ple are pessimistic” about American textualization and its impacts on higher education, worried about incollaboration and competition. creasing tuition rates and stagnating Powell, Parker and Polk all hailed graduation rates. Yet, he had hope the success and implementation here. “ The work that we are right of blended learning, which Park- now pioneering at UNC… can create er termed “the future of higher a more effective, more equitable… ed.” Polk claimed it would be Pow- and more affordable education.” The ell’s “legacy,” adding that blended “seeds” of his children’s classroom learning cut costs, increased aca- will be “in the work that just started.” demic performance and helped minorities, “a win, win, win” for her. All three further spoke to the struggles of minorities, ranging from March 2015
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RETHINKING ISLAM IN AMERICA MATTHEW KEENAN
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ccording to the Pew Research Center, there are roughly 1.6 billion Muslims living in the world today. I have come to realize, though, that I know very little about this group of people that comprises twenty-three percent of the world’s population, despite attending public schools in America for the past fifteen years. Why is this? Is there something about Islam that causes Americans to categorically deny any attempt to learn about its history, culture, or political institutions? The problem that many American students face is the result of a triangular relationship between mass media, politics, and education. Each concept influences the others in a variety of ways, which creates a never-ending cycle of ignorance, prejudice, and bias. Media heavily influence political decisions, and politics determine what enters into the American education system. Students are then left in the dark about an entire culture, and the cycle repeats itself with every new generation of American students. Thus, the question of what it is about Islamic culture that causes Americans to refrain from learning about the religion, is phrased incorrectly. The question we must ask ourselves is, what is it about American culture that influences us against learning about Islam? To begin, we must understand the effects of European colonization of Muslim countries from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. European countries viewed their 18 • March 2015
colonizing mission as bringing an inferior culture (Islam and the Muslim world) into the light of a superior culture (Europe). What actually happened, however, once European countries established their dominance over Muslim countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, was that major parts of Muslim history were essentially erased from existence. Because Europeans viewed themselves as the conquerors of an inferior culture, they felt no need to preserve the history of their new Muslim subjects. This attitude remained a firm aspect of Western scholarship, and it eventually became the cause of the cyclical, triangular relationship between politics, media, and education in America. Juliane Hammer, associate professor and Kenan Rifai Scholar of Islamic Studies at UNC says that since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, “Not very much has changed about un-
derstanding Islam.” Take the recent “No-Go Zone” debacle, for example. Multiple Fox News anchors and journalists claimed that there were areas in large European cities that non-Muslims should avoid, which they termed: “No-Go Zones.” Fox later recalled their comments due to factual inaccuracy, but not before millions of Americans formed their own opinions about these “No-Go Zones.” Carl Ernst, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Islamic Studies and co-director of the Carolina Center for the Study of the Middle East and Muslim Civilizations, says, “People are willing to say things about Muslims that they’d never say about blacks or Jews.” Mass media presents stories painting Islam in a negative light to millions of American each day, which, for nearly fifty years, has created a feeling of contempt towards Muslims that persists to this day. Feelings of bias and mistrust
Media
Politics
Education
against Muslims are ensconced in the tion of Islamic history, which can American public education system be attributed to the contemptuous as a result of media and politics. In attitude towards Islam that began 2002, Dr. Ernst recommended to the in European colonialism, and continUNC Summer Reading Program that ues today through the relationship incoming students should read Mi- between politics and media. We see chael Sells’ Approaching the Qur’an: this bias against Islam most notably The Early Revelations. What followed not in what our schools currently was, as Dr. Ernst calls it, “a firestorm of controversy.” Politicians, parents, and religious groups across America raised countless complaints about assigning a book relating to the Qur’an after the events of 9-11. These events influenced millions of Americans’ perceptions of Islam in a severely negative way, and the significance of what happened at UNC in 2002 is just as important today as it was almost thirteen years ago. As Dr. Ernst says, we are “in a moment of cultural conflict,” and in this moment, “education plays a crucial role” in changing public perception. Gaps in information PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS are noticeable in today’s high school curricula. Dr. Ernst teach, but what they do not teach. claims: “On paper, most high school Islamic culture and science has incurricula look better than the actual fluenced Western knowledge in many practice.” What tends to happen in different ways, yet American schools a high school world history class is make hardly any reference to this that students learn about the foun- influence. Most people know that dations of civilization in the Fertile Western cultures trace their lineage Crescent, and continue on through back to Ancient Greece. What many the early civilizations. Once they people do not know, however, is that reach about 570 C.E., however, the Islamic culture also traces its roots to class jumps from the Fertile Cres- Greece. The works of Aristotle, Plato, cent into European or Asian history. and Socrates only survived because These classes make barely any men- twelfth and thirteenth-century Arabic
scholars translated the works into Arabic in Islamic universities, thus preserving copies of the works. The original Greek scrolls were destroyed during the burning of the Great Library at Alexandria, so without these Arabic translations, the work of Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates might have been lost to history. In an age of strong anti-Muslim sentiment perpetuated by mass media’s overwhelmingly negative portrayal of Islam, expanding our knowledge about a population of roughly 1.6 billion people has never been more important. The first time someone learns about a major world culture should not be in a collegiate setting. Islam as a culture has affected many aspects of world history, literature, cuisine, and of course, religion, yet it is a subject that most public schools in America avoid. During my junior year of high school, as part of my AP English class, we read parts of the New Testament, but for strictly literary purposes. There was no fuss. Had my teacher assigned parts of the Qur’an, however, that would have been a totally different story. What Americans need to realize is that the purpose of studying religion is not to convert students to that religion. Studying Islam is not about theology; it is the cultural anthropology and history of a group of people comprising twenty-three percent of the world’s population. In order for false conceptions and prejudices towards Islam to fade, this flaw in our March 2015
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BAN THE DORY MACMILLAN
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an the Box, a national movement that began in 2004, urges employers to remove the initial box on job applications that indicates whether an applicant has been convicted of a crime. According to All of Us or None,” an organization with the mission of “fighting against discrimination faced after release” which first started the campaign, Ban the Box seeks to “eliminate the questions about past convictions on initial public employment applications.” Since its introduction, Ban the Box has been highly contested in local city councils and state legislatures, and in many places, remains widely unknown. As evidence in support of Ban the Box, All of Us or None cites this statistic: one in four United States citizens have criminal convictions. This is of import because these arrest histories will appear on criminal background checks, which, as supporters of this effort argue, might limit the number of able workers in the work force. More recent studies estimates are a jarring one and three adults have arrest histories, according to a study done by Rochester Institute of Technology professor John Klofas and research associate Jamie Dougherty in 2014. John Klofas is the founder of the Center for Public Safety Initia20 • March 2015
tives at RIT, through which this study was conducted. This same study, published in the Center for Public Safety Initiatives, argues that Ban the Box’s true mission is to “remove inquiries about criminal histories from preliminary job applications,” in order to encourage employers to consider an applicant’s qualifications before their conviction history. Both the applicant and the employer can be under great strain in this situation, as employers fear liability for “negligent hiring,” which occurs when an employee exhibits behavior that an employer should have expected given their history. Ban the Box supports the right of employers to ask these questions, but believes that the timing of these questions – in fact, one of the first boxes to be checked on some job applications – can unfairly ruin the chances of applicants seeking social reintegration. Although anyone with a criminal conviction is likely to face discrimination, studies show that a criminal conviction decreased the likelihood of receiving a call back by 50 percent. Even more, African-American applicants face far greater obstacles due to prejudice. Across the country, the typical call back rate is 34 percent. A 2003 study found that “black males
without a criminal record received less calls back (14 %) than white men with a conviction.” Additionally, black males with a conviction received a call back only five percent of the time. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released guidelines regarding the use of background checks, acknowledging the disparate treatment towards minority communities. The EEOC estimated that Hispanic men are incarcerated at three times the rate of white men, and that African-American men are incarcerated at seven times the rate. This 2014 study astutely notes: “having a conviction may be more of an indicator of living in a poor urban area than an indicator of more engagement in crime than other applicants.” The implications of Ban the Box has also been considered by lawyers, including N.B. Pederson, a law student at the University of Cincinnati who wrote an article in 2011 describing the relationship between implicit bias and employment attitudes. Pederson’s research led her to the recognition that discriminatory bias in the workplace was common, and more importantly, that this bias could be explicit or implicit. As such, she suggests a “motivating factor framework” for decision-making about
BOX employees. This framework would require in-depth consideration of the reasons an employer might make a decision, and require that he or she consider whether bias affected an employment decision, contract termination, or other consideration. Most importantly, Pederson recommends that legal backing be provided to this framework arguing that determining whether “bias was a reason and not the reason” for any decision regarding employment can offer employers an incentive to “require their employees to self-examine their motives before acting upon them in the employment context.” Although in the past, the bar for finding legal bias was relatively high, Penderson’s recommendation that any hint of bias, whether the main motivating factor or not, is a completely necessary recommendation. Although she recognizes that bias can sometimes be either subconscious or implicit, the shift towards legal protection is integral to the advancement of those who have been incarcerated as well as those who have not. Ban-the-Box, which is legal in its application, shares these values and is truly the heart of the reason passing these measures is integral to the promotion of economic self-sufficiency. The BTB initiative is not without its opponents. As a national issue, this
movement has found adversaries in all corners of the country. In an editorial in the Huffington Post, contributor Eli Lehrer argued that while BTB could be beneficial in some small ways, “unlike race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, religion and other protected characteristics, having a criminal record obviously can have a significant bearing on someone’s ability to do a job.” For some counties, implementing Ban the Box has been an administrative duty. In 2011, Chapel Hill Town Manager Roger Stancil administratively implemented Ban the Box, meaning that the town council did not vote on the measure before it became policy in Chapel Hill. Ban the Box has also been implemented in Carrboro and Durham. In Carrboro, the measure was adopted unanimously by its board of Alderman. Durham is counted among hte movement’s greatest successes. Carrboro’s adoption of the measure was spurred by the support of the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness, according to Carrboro alderman Damon Seils. Seils, who is also a member of the Partnership, began representing Carrboro after Ban the Box was implemented. According to Seils, the Partnership’s involvement in the campaign stemmed from the goal to increase
the ability of those who have experienced or are experiencing homelessness to reenter the workforce with as few barriers as possible. Ban the Box “doesn’t preclude the employer from ultimately doing the background check, it just takes that step and puts it later in the [employment] process,” Seils said. Seils believes Ban the Box is important because people with arrest histories might be unwilling to even apply for jobs that have the initial question about convictions. Although Ban the Box is an important step, Seils argues that further steps should be taken. For example, Seils said, Carrboro’s adoption of the measure only applies to town employees. A next step would urge private employers to adopt Ban the Box, as well. Ban the Box is certainly an important step, because it seeks to increase the economic stability of the individual and of the county as a whole. It is not, however, enough. Because counties cannot compel private organizations to use Ban the Box, its influence is relatively limited. In Chapel Hill, Seils cited the University as an important potential player in these employment measures because it is the largest employer in the area. Currently, the University reserves the right to refuse employment to any applicant with a criminal conviction they deem hazardous to students.
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PRODUCE WITH PURPOSE ALLY MICKLER
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E can all agree that the average college diet usually consists of beer, ramen, and the occasional glass of water in-between caffeine binges. And most of the time, we fail to recognize fruits and vegetables as major food groups until our parents are force feeding them to us during winter break. What is it about the college atmosphere that makes us neglect our bodies very validated need for some fresh produce? It could very well be that our minds lack of consideration for one of the most basic needs is a bystander of typical laziness. Ah, yes laziness at its finest. College: a time where going to the grocery to buy something fresh, something local, and oh my god, even something organic is just too much of a hassle. But let’s not allow our inner Ron Swanson make us forget that fruits and vegetables are an important part of our daily lives. And with the help of UNC’s growing local movement, SproutUNC, sponsored by the Campus-Y, it shouldn’t be so much of a hassle anymore. 22 • March 2015
Sprout is a committee a part of the Campus-Y’s Nourish-UNC organization. The committee was initially formed in spring of 2012 and partnered up with locals from Hillsborough’s Coon Rock farm to help distribute fresh produce to the Chapel Hill community. Sprout Co-chair Gabriele Juskeviciute explained that Sprout is a non-profit organization that plays an essential role in Nourish-UNC’s mission to engage in sustainable, grassroots developmental projects. The committee first began selling a set amount of produce up front to students in the pit. But its’ most recent innovation involves a partnership with Bella Bean Organics, sponsored by Richard Holcomb, to run an online store. Students can order local, organic produce at the Bella Bean Organics website every Friday by 4 p.m. with pick up the following Tuesday in the union. “Its great for students that don’t have a car, or that love to go to the Carrboro Farmer’s Market but just don’t have enough time,” Juskevi-
ciute said. “You know, even if you don’t have a meal plan, or just want to cook in your room, It’s a great resource.” Sprout Co-chairs Gabriele Juskeviciute and Nisha Saxena coordinate pick up and food distribution every week with local farmers. Aside from convenience, what about local is really better? “From a scientific, environmental point of view, if you buy from a local farm you’re using less fossil fuels than you would if you were buying fruit that was shipped from across the country,” Juskeviciute said. “You definitely help the environment.” Her personal definition of local ranges from anywhere in North Carolina. She believes that aside from helping out the environment, local is extremely important for helping out the surrounding community. “It’s best to support the economy within your state. I think these farmers work very hard,” she said. “The workers that deliver the produce deliver it straight from their car in boxes from right off the farm.
You know exactly what you are getting, and you know exactly where it came from.” For most, local isn’t necessarily about the environment, it’s about the consumer to producer relationship developed between customers and farmers. In Sarah Deweerdt’s article “Is Local Food Better?”, factors of how produce is farmed and how the farmers are treated have become a part of the social, ecological and economic factors that add up to sustainability. Speaking of sustainability, Sprout’s partnership with Bella Bean Organics further promotes this growing notion . If you order through Bella Bean Organics, there is no sales tax or delivery fee, and better yet, all the revenue earned from online orders goes to Nourish-UNC’s sustainable development projects. Nourish raises enough money through its’ business ventures to fund summer expeditions abroad. Last summer, Nourish committees such as Sprout and Hunger Lunch were involved in helping set up sustainability projects in Rwanda and Tanzania. The programs established a music education program in Tanzania and a community garden in Rwanda. “Our big theme is sustainability.” Juskeviciute said. “Because we don’t want to just send our in-
terns and our money over to make it a one summer thing. We really look for sustainable projects that can keep going and have an impact on the community even after we leave.” The projects are focused on promoting social entrepreneurship experiences for nations struggling with poverty and developing business goals. This upcoming summer, Nourish plans to partner up with Health Development Initiative in Rwanda to bridge the gap between communities and healthcare systems through medicine, public health, and community development. The project will take place in Kigali, Rwanda where their main source of financial stability is achieved through basket weaving. Juskeviciute explained that this program specifically aims to empower local women by providing a source of income through knitting skills and hands-on business experience. “It’s rewarding to see something as small and local as selling vegetables to
“Bottom line, I like supporting the hard workers and knowing where my food is coming from.”
students go directly to help fund something global,” she said. While Sprout, and other committees associated with Nourish, continue to impact our society on a global scale, they are also working on a project to motivate students towards an issue that affects every day life in Chapel Hill, hunger. Committees such as Sprout and Hunger Lunch have recently become a part of UNC’s newest organization to promote hunger awareness, the UNC Food Coalition. The group aims to unite all food outreach programs working to promote the new theme embodied by the university, food. The Food Coalition plans to serve a broad range of interests from hunger and wellness to sustainability and local food issues. Juskeviciute hopes to see more name recognition for Sprout in the future and to promote awareness for Nourish-UNC’s global projects funded by local movements. “Bottom line, I like supporting the hard workers and knowing where my food is coming from,” she said. To learn more about SproutUNC or how to participant in supporting Chapel Hill’s local farmers check out their website at https://sproutunc.wordpress.com/ and place your first order today!
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Published with support from: Generation Progress, a division of the Center for American Progress. Generation Progress works to help young people — advocates, activists, journalists, artists — make their voices heard on issues that matter. Online at genprog.org. Also paid for in part by student fees.
Campus BluePrint is a non-partisan student publication that aims to provide a forum for open
dialogue on progressive ideals at UNC-Chapel Hill and in the greater community. 24 • March 2015