Activists, start your engines! There are three great events tonight, addressing development of Carolina North, workers' rights on campus, and homophobia in the classroom. (All pertaining to UNC, hmmm.) Which one are you going to?
1. Town Council Public Hearing on the Horace Williams Citizen's Commitee Report and on OI-4. Starts at 7pm, Chapel Hill Town Hall. There are lots and lots of meetings relating to UNC's development plans, but this Monday is one not to miss. The Chapel Hill Town Council will hold public hearings on two issues that will define the future deliberations about Carolina North. I'll be there.
2. The Workers Solidarity Coalition teach-in about the history of workers struggles at UNC. Starts at 7pm, Greenlaw 101, UNC-CH. Sounds great! Panelists include: Fred Battle, leaders of the 1969 Lenoir strike, Keith Edwards, leaders of the Housekeepers Movement and UE 150. I hate that I will be missing this.
3. Protest at Walter Jones' speech. Meet at 6 pm, Campus Y, UNC-CH. Republican Rep. Jones, the man who brought you freedom fries, is hot and bothered about UNC professor's statement that she would not tolerate homophobia in her classroom. Jones will speak at 7 pm in Hamilton 100. I appreciate any chance to razz this fool, but I'll have to pass.
Issues:
Comments
Walter Jones is a hero!
Walter Jones is a hero!
"razz this fool" Ruby, Try
"razz this fool"
Ruby,
Try to criticize ideas instead of people. (see your guidelines)
I'd call it homodisgust or homosin instead of homophobia.
Best,
dam
I thought the Town Council
I thought the Town Council meeting went quite well last night. The plan to add the concept planning review seems like a good compromise. What did others think?
I agree that it might be a
I agree that it might be a good compromise, Terri. The Council is in a tight spot regarding OI-4 since they have already agreed to it and applied it to UNC's main campus. At the same time, the University's claim that it is working just fine is just silly.
The point that I think Mark Kleinschmidt was making is that if they hadn't delayed the decision last summer, the Council would have REJECTED UNC's application for development plan modification. The implication of this is that if UNC doesn't allow for a better process in the future, they could be looking at more denials from the Town, which will cost them piles of money in wasted planning efforts.
The more UNC resists improving the OI-4 review process, the less likely they are to get the Town to use it at the Horace Williams property (or anywhere ever again, for that matter.)
The plain truth is OI-4 is bad bad bad - both for UNC and the Town. As I said last night, I don't see what's right about it. It disappointed me to observe that some of our elected officials still seem to see their job as carrying water for UNC adminstrators. Given that attitude, a "compromise" is more likely to be a toothless ego-soother for Council members than a substantial improvement in the process.