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FC JL OKs
Secret societies:
same-sex
The mystery behind two societies is revealed after many decades of secrets and silence By ELLEN MIELKE The Chronicle
unions � Several months of discussion yielded the decision to allow same-sex Jewish couples to hold unions in the Freeman Center.
Shhh... it’s a secret You’ve seen them appear randomly around campus, cloaked in black robes and moving in a seemingly organized pattern, shouting mysterious words and gesturing with their arms. But it is not Halloween they are
ByAMBIKA KUMAR
celebrating.
The Chronicle
They are the remnants of a culture that used to be prevalent at Duke—secret societies. By far, the grandest era of secret societies at Duke came during the ’4os and ’sos, when two organizations gained an influential role in campus life. The Order of the Red Friars sprung up in 1913 at Trinity College with the mission of creating a spirit of loyalty and interest in the school. Senior members selected seven new junior initiates during public ceremonies in front of the Chapel. “There was a tradition of a lot of this type of stuff on college campuses,” said University Archivist Bill King. “Duke’s were really only quasisecret. People knew who they were.” These initiations, or “tappings”—so called because new members were tapped on the back to signify that they had been chosen—usually took place in late spring. One shrouded member would stand in front of the Chapel early in the morning to signify that the tappings would be that day, King said. Soon, students would gather to see who the new members would be. Typically, secret society members were campus leaders, and of no surprise to the rest of the student body. TOP: UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES. BOTTOM: JENNY ROBINSON/THE CHRONICLE “One of the functions of a universiSee SECRET SOCIETIES on page 10 �FRIARS from the 1950s and RED today’s mystery society initiate new members,
After formal and informal discussions that lasted several months, the Freeman Center for Jewish Life has opened its doors to Jewish couples who wish to have same-sex unions. Last Thursday, the center’s Board of Directors decided to incorporate the decision into a broader policy addressing the needs of all Jewish faiths. “We are a pluralistic community, and we attempt not to dictate Jewish tradition and belief but rather encompass the whole range of expressions that are part of modern Judaism,” said Roger Kaplan, director of the FCJL. Debate about same-sex unions at the FCJL heated up in April when the Central Conference of American Rabbis, a Reform organization, said it would allow its members to perform such ceremonies. The Reconstructionist branch of Judaism also permits samesex unions. Kaplan said no couples have approached him about having a same-sex union in the FCJL, and the center’s Conservative rabbi, Bruce Seltzer, will not perform the unions. But because of this new policy, otherrabbis would be able to perform the ceremonies in the facility. Seltzer said that he is bound by the rules of Conservative Judaism and would likely go before an ethics board if he performed a same-sex union. “The fact that I might not be able to See SAME-SEX on page 8
Dems, Libertarians face off in District 23 election By SARAH McGDLL The Chronicle
As North Carolina charges into the 21st century, the General Assembly faces a host of new and lingering questions. In a state with a weak governor’s office, members of the House and Senate will craft legislation involving transportation, education, health care, the administration of justice and other issues. The House District 23 election will send three Durham residents to the state House this year. The race pits two Libertarians with no previous experience in elected office—Ray Übinger and Robert Dorsey—against three Democrats—Paul Luebke, Mickey Michaux and Paul Miller—who have a combined 35 years in state and local government. All five candidates bring different priorities and goals to the race. Both Libertarians would like to see a less powerful and less expensive state government. Dorsey’s primary objective is to revamp the school system by offering
tax credits to organizations and individuals that would pay to send a child to private school. The IBM engineer said that the tax credits would give parents power over their children’s education. Übinger is running on a platform dominated by a single issue: the North Carolina electoral process. Currently, for write-in votes to be potential write-in Election 2000 , counted, candidates must first register with the state. And that, Übinger contends, is an assault on American democracy and Sixr£& Local the Constitution. The clinical data assistant at Duke’s medical center said after restoring “free elections,” he would work toward a standard Libertarian program of tax, gun, drug and personal freedom. Luebke said the legislature should focus directly on public schools instead of funding a tax credit or voucher program. A professor at the University of North
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Duke, NCSU create linguistics doctorate, page 5
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Carolina at Greensboro, Luebke wants to close tax loopholes for businesses and get rid of the remaining two-cent food tax, which he characterized as an unfair penalty for lower and lower-middle class citizens. Education is also on the mind of Michaux, who said he would work to give historically black schools their “fair share” of school bond money if the bond referendum is passed, and get class sizes lowered. The attorney said he would also place emphasis on criminal justice reform, including a review of the habitual
felon law.
Miller, who served on the Durham City Council from 1995 to 1999, said he would work to hand more control over from the state government to local governments. The independent computer consultant, whose controversial election in the May primaries ousted longtime incumbent George Miller, said he
would also focus on increasing pay for public school teachers. For profiles of the individual candidates, see page 6.
RDU raises parking rates, page 7