Dan Coleman's blog
I was a bit turned off when I read the Herald-Sun's recent announcement that they would introduce a Faith and Family section to the paper. This smacked of the familiar right-wing conflation that would twist social relations to conform to some conservative religious viewpoint.
Based on today's debut of the section, it turns out to not be so bad. They've wrapped the religion pages around a page with a couple of secular articles on family matters (including a topic big in my household: kindergarten).
There was a bit of a tease presented in the form of a photo of two women embracing, looking as if they might be about to kiss. No it wasn't for an article on girl-on-girl faith&family fun. It was for a discussion of trends in baby showers.
Still, the section's title does not have the inclusive sensibility that I would look for in our local paper. It is offensive to those whose families follow the faith-free path.
At Wednesday night's town-gown soiree, all were on their best behavior. The only moment of tension arose when Will Raymond pressed the town planning director on a point. Two hours went by before Elaine Barney politely asked if the university still had a protest petition in place for the proposed OI-4 zoning changes.
But there was one particular bit of hogwash that should not go uncorrected. This was Jonathan Howes sanctimonious prattle about the need for the university to safeguard our tax dollars. That was the primary rationalization offered for UNC's push for a hasty town review of university development projects.
What Howes did not tell us, but surely knows, is that state funding accounts for only 20-some percent of the university budget (see, for example, UNC says state funds are just 25% of budget).
In misrepresenting this fact, Howes is playing on public misconceptions. In its Feb. 26, 2004 issue, the Triangle Business Journal reported on a UNC survey which found that
Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday April 30, 2005
Internationalist Books is very proud to present the first annual Carrboro Book Fair, to be held from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday, May 7 at the Artscenter, located at 300 East Main St. in Carrboro, North Carolina. Participating book and zine publishers, writers and friends from across the country will converge on Carrboro for a day of reading, information exchange, community strengthening and of course, the buying, selling and trading of books.
Thirty-odd local and national organizations will be tabling with books and magazines for sale, including Daylight Magazine, Small Beer Press (MA), Garrett County Press (NOLA), Ivory Bell Books, John F. Blair Books, Ms. Film Festival, Crimethinc, Parcell Press (VA), Ugly Duckling Presse (NYC), The Drama (VA), Two Cranes Press, Winged Willow Press, Longleaf Books, Carolina Wren Press, AK Press (CA) and others.
Events during the day will include a screening of "Wizard People, Dear Readers" and other films, presentations from Daylight Magazine and Crimethinc, a hands-on zine workshop, readings by local authors and poets and more! All events are free and open to the public.
So said Aaron Nelson on announcing the creation of the Chamber of Commerce's latest in a series of high profile “councils†to further its work. What he meant was that the power of saying who comprises “everyone†is worth grabbing. As is the power to identify by omission the multitudes who are not part of everyone even if a place is reserved for a few of them to observe the goings on at “the table.â€Â
What the Chamber fails to understand is that a self-interested organization like itself cannot identify an inclusive group. It is hamstrung by its reflexive assertion of its own narrow interests. Nelson is no more able to overcome this problem than Jim Heavner was with the Public-Private Partnership a decade ago. Nelson has benefited from years of Chamber experience in refining how to make a council look inclusive. Hence, the likes of Bernadette Pelissier, Robert Dowling, and Rick Edens in the current edition.
Pages
About Us
OrangePolitics is a not-for-profit website for discussing progressive perspectives on politics, planning, and public policy in Orange County, NC. Opinions are those of their authors. Learn more.
Community Guidelines
By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by
WeebPal.
