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FEBRUARY 2011 1
 FROM THE EDITOR CONTENTS

WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH

06
10
C
ampus BluePrint has a new
ASSAULT ON JULIAN ASSANGE
voice.
Last spring we were a joint 12
publication with Duke, operat- STEM CELL FUNDING
ing under the Democrat student
groups at both campuses. This fall
we bid farewell to Duke and this
Featured Artist 04
spring we parted ways with the Obama’s EPA 09
UNC Young Democrats to become Wall Street Secrets 15
our own officially recognized stu- Giving Year-Round 16
dent organization. While we are Student Org Spotlight 17
still friends with our YD comrades,
as a publication, we want to be
Failing on Education 19
free to disagree with their politics. JIA Fashion Show 22
If we want to be a true progressive
voice at UNC, we need to have the STAFF
autonomy to say, “Here’s another
sally fry
solution.” editor-in-chief
Our writers are encouraged to erin becker
make their own arguments. Some david gilmore
saurav sethia
articles may still be on “party line,”
managing editors
but that is now our choice. jasmine lamb
Part of our restructuring means creative director
new values. Of course we’ll still tyler tran
photo editor
write about political and social
stewart boss, carey hanlin,
matters, but we want to be open jordan heide,
to culture pieces, as well. Part of Troy homesley, santo jiang,
our new intiative includes featur- zak mathews,
luda shtessel,
ing student artists and writers. We
brandon wiggins,
want to eventually include literary kara williams
reviews, poetry and prose. Above staff writers
all, we want to focus more on the sally fry, carey hanlin,
cassie mcmillan,
UNC and Chapel Hill / Carrboro
sofia morales,
community. At the University of tyler tran
the people, this is a magazine for design staff
the people. We hope you like what anne brenneman
copy editor
we’ve done with the place.
caitlin graham, tyler tran
photographers

On the cover:
“City” by Anwuli
Chukwurah - CBP’s
Sally Fry featured artist.
See more, page 4
Editor-in-Chief

2 FEBRUARY 2011 FEBRUARY 2011 03

 ANWULI
CHUKWURAH
C
ampus BluePrint’s Spring 2011 featured
artist is a first-year studio art major and
chemistry minor on a pre-medicine track.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Anwuli moved to the
United States when she was nine after her dad
moved over five years before. At Southeast
Raleigh High School, she participated in Scho-
lastic Young Artists and won multiple awards,
including a Writer's Silver Key in a regional
competition out of thousands of applications
for her portfolio. Her inspiration depends on
the day and her mood, but Anwuli finds moti-
vation from "every artist [and] every designer."
Anwuli finds it especially enouraging to watch
other people who have been successful in
their own work. To see more of her work, visit
www.redbubble.com/people/woolichooks.

04 FEBRUARY 2011 FEBRUARY 2011 05

 By Carey Hanlin
WESTBORO
BAPTIST CHURCH
The Worst Kind of Radicalism
As familes of the Arizona shooting victims
grieve, a Topeka-based church vows to protest
the funerals, claiming holy retribution was
behind the attack.
“God appointed this rod
for your sins! God sent
the shooter!”
“...the Lord is punish-
ing this evil nation for
abandoning all moral
imperatives...”
-Phelps
06 FEBRUARY 2011
O
n Saturday, January 8, Representa-
tive Gabrielle Giffords was rushed to
the University Medical Center in Tuc-
son, Arizona, for a gunshot wound to the
head. Representative Giffords had been
holding a small “Congress on Your Corner”
constituent meeting at a local supermarket
when gunman Jared Lee Loughner opened
fire on the crowd. In all, 14 were wounded
and six were killed.
Among the dead were John Roll, who is
chief judge of the U.S. District Court for Ari-
zona, Giffords’s community outreach direc-
tor Gabriel “Gabe” Zimmerman, and Chris-
tina Taylor Green, a local nine-year-old girl,
who was also granddaughter of former Ma-
jor League Baseball player, Dallas Green.
As news organizations and bloggers alike
poured into Tucson to cover the story of
the shooting, the victims’ families grieved
their deaths. And as Representative Gif-
fords struggled to recover in the hospital,
the Green family struggled to cope with the
loss of their child. “I can’t even put it into
words. I can’t express the devastation and
hurt, and how we were so robbed of our
beautiful princess,” said mother Roxanna
Green shortly after the incident in an inter-
view with Fox News.
But as if burying their daughter was not
enough, the families of the victims lost
their right to mourn in peace when a group
of protesters announced plans to picket
the funerals. Those protesters hailed from
the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.
Founded and led by pastor Fred Phelps,
and attended mostly by members of his
large family, the Topeka-based church con-
sists of just over seventy members, and
has become infamous nationwide for their
controversial protests. The title “Baptist” is
a significant misnomer for the church, for
although Phelps labels his congregation
as such, Westboro really holds much more
extreme beliefs than typical Baptist church-
es. In particular, it claims that God hates
homosexuals, Jews, Lady Gaga, the entire
country of Sweden, and even – or perhaps,
especially - America itself.  In a flier posted
on their website “GodHatesFags.com” the
incendiary church from proclaimed the
shooting to be the work of God.  “Shooter
– 6 dead!  WBC will picket their funerals!”
read the flier.  “God appointed this rod for
your sins!  God sent the shooter!”  The flier,
which can still be found at the aforemen-
tioned website, claims Loughner was sent
by God to avenge America for its sins, such
as war, tolerance of homosexuality and le-
gal actions taken again the church itself.
They saw the murder of Judge Roll and at-
tempted murder of Representative Giffords
as Holy retribution for such legal actions.
And since the murders were appointed by
God, the church decided to picket the funer-
als – including that of nine-year-old Chris-
tina Taylor Green.
But this was not the church’s first claim
of a “righteous” retribution.  Westboro, infa-
mous for its anti-homosexual rhetoric, pick-
eted five churches in 2004 – churches that
Phelps believed had played a part in le-
gitimizing same-sex marriage in Iowa.  The
church has also been known to protest
funerals of soldiers.  As Phelps said, “Our
attitude toward… the war is [that] the lord
is punishing this evil nation for abandon-
ing all moral imperatives that are worth a
dime.”  The church has also been known to
burn American flags, often wielding signs
that read “God Hates America.”
It does not stop there.  The church also
picketed Michael Jackson’s funeral and
planned to picket Heath Ledger’s funeral
for his involvement in Brokeback Moun-
tain.  They protested a memorial service
for the Sago Mine disaster victims, claim-
ing the accident was God’s revenge on
America, and protested a local Topeka ap-
pliance store for selling Swedish vacuums,
after Sweden prosecuted a pastor who was
critical of homosexuality. They have also
picketed Lady Gaga concerts, Coretta Scott
King’s funeral, Twitter, Comic-Con, and have
waged war against Judaism, Mormonism
and Islam.
According to “beastobama.com,” one of
the church’s affiliate websites, President
Barack Obama is the Antichrist, who will
eventually form an “unholy trinity” with
Pope Benedict XVI and Satan. “Priestsrape-
boys.com,” another affiliate website, calls
Benedict “The Godfather of Pedophiles, and
slams Catholicism as a sect of idolatry and
homosexual encouragement.
Jenna Kazmaier, a UNC first year student
and devoted Christian, said “It’s their choice
whether to personally support homosexu-
ality or not, but according to the Christian
principles they say they believe in, it’s not
FEBRUARY 2011 07

up to them to judge other people – that’s
God’s job.”
Kazmaier echoes the voices of many
American Christians who may not necessar-
ily disagree with all of Westboro’s ideolo-
gies, but who find fault with the church’s
inflammatory actions and hypocrisy. But
some wonder if all the protesting is rooted
not in legitimate religious zeal, but rather
in zeal for the ever-influential gods of fame
and fortune. Why else would the church
announce their protest plans weeks in
advance, if not to ensure some television
time? Why else would they so boldly pro-
test such sensitive subjects, if not to dare
someone to retaliate, and then sue them
for huge sums of money? Indeed, the
church has been known to do so. And as
more and more bills are passed that stop
the church from funeral protests in certain
areas, Westboro members grab the chance
to sue for their rights.
Jasmine Jackson-Irwin, a Political Science
major and member of the Chapel Hill Young
Democrats, disagrees that the church mem-
bers are in it solely for the money. “I truly
believe that they feel a fundamental duty
to avenge the word of God. What is so sad-
dening about the situation is that they are
so blinded by their own anger and righ-
08 FEBRUARY 2011
teousness that they fail to see their actions
as antithetical to the gospel of Christianity.”
Even North Carolinians felt the wrath of
Westboro when the church garnered news
attention for coming to Raleigh this past
December to protest the funeral of Eliza-
beth Edwards. Edwards, the late, estranged
wife of North Carolina senator John Ed-
wards, died of cancer early last December.
The church claims Edwards to be a “resident
in Hell” for her support of gay marriage. The
church was, however, vastly outnumbered
by counter-protesters. According to Allvoic-
es.com, the counter-protestors helped buf-
fer the funeral with their own signs printed
with words such as “hero” and “hope.”
After the Arizona shooting, similar plans
were made to protect the funeral of Christi-
na Taylor Green. The plan was to have partic-
ipants wear 8-by-10 “angel wings” to shield
the service from the protesters. However,
those plans became unnecessary when the
Arizona legislature passed an emergency
bill to ban all protests within 300 feet of a
funeral. While bans of this kind raise new
issues about freedom of speech and right
to assemble, solace can at least be taken in
the fact that the Green family can now bury
their daughter in peace. •
GOP Takes Aim at Obama’s EPA
By Stewart Boss
W
ith the House’s symbolic “repeal” of
2009’s health care law taken care of,
the GOP is moving on to its next leg-
islative target: the Environmental Protection
Agency.
In a move that shouldn’t surprise anyone,
since there are now more deniers of climate sci-
ence in Congress than ever before, Republicans
(and some Democrats) are targeting the EPA and
its ability to fully enforce the Clean Air Act and
Clean Water Act.
Most significant is the EPA’s proposed guid-
ance for regulation of greenhouse gas emis-
sions, which began this year for power plants
and petroleum refineries. The EPA’s authority
over global warming pollution has been debat-
Westboro Baptist Church ed since a 2007 Supreme Court decision that
members picketing before a crowd, criticized the Bush-era EPA for not acting on this
while police stand guard. issue, given that “the harms associated with cli-
mate change are serious and well-recognized.”
The Free Industry Act, which is moving its way
through the House, would revoke the EPA’s au-
thority to regulate carbon dioxide and other
pollutants by rewriting the Clean Air Act so
that greenhouse gases driving global climate
change could not be regulated.
The new chairman of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee, Fred Upton, R-Mich., in-
tends to hold hearings about the impact of the
EPA’s emission reduction plan on jobs.
“Standing up for American workers and ad-
dressing EPA’s rampant regulations is a top pri-
ority,” Upton said. “We will be active and aggres-
sive using every tool in the toolbox to protect
American jobs and our economy by rolling back
the job-destroying regulations.”
This grandstanding over greenhouse gas regu-
lations may be upstaged by ongoing disputes
in central Appalachia concerning the EPA and
regulation of mountaintop removal coal mining.
In the wake of the EPA’s veto of Arch Coal’s
Spruce No. 1 mine permit, which would have
“...according to the
been the largest mountaintop removal mine in
Christian principles history, West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin orga-
they say they believe nized a “Rally for Coal” at the state Capitol. This
in, it’s not up to them is despite the fact that Arch Coal refused to work
to judge other people - with the EPA and accept alternative plans that
that’s God’s job.” would have allowed roughly the same amount
of coal to be mined with substantially less envi-
-Kazmaier ronmental degradation.
To put the conflict between the EPA and coal-
producing states in context, EPA Administrator
Lisa Jackson said: “Let me be clear: this is not
about ending coal mining. This is about ending
coal mining pollution.”
As Matt Wasson, director of programs for Ap-
palachian Voices, wrote, the EPA was actually
“bending over backwards in an attempt to ne-
gotiate a settlement with the company, and …
it was the company’s unwillingness to contem-
plate any alternative mine plans that left the
agency with no choice but to veto the permit.”
The reality is that the EPA is not even close to
overstepping its legal limits. Many environmen-
tal groups called on the agency to enforce the
Clean Water Act by cracking down on pollution
from all mountaintop removal sites, not just
ones where the coal industry had chosen to pick
a symbolic fight and cry foul.
As one blogger put it, “given the choice be-
tween throwing a hissy fit and problem solving,
the smart money around here still seems to be
on ‘hissy fit.’”
There have been other high-profile actions by
the EPA in the last two years that have drawn
industry criticism. The agency has made efforts
to shift to regulating coal ash as a hazardous
waste, though it continues to endorse the recy-
cling of coal ash for beneficial reuse purposes.
Inadequate regulation has allowed toxic coal
ash filled with mercury, selenium, and arsenic to
pollute groundwater and contaminate drinking
water supplies all over the country. The EPA has
also issued tougher fuel economy standards
for heavy vehicles and trucks that will mitigate
emissions from the transportation sector.
Despite the evidence that EPA is just doing
its job, a return to Bush-era regulations for our
environment and public health is a real risk.
Through her willingness to confront the biggest
industrial polluters and stick to the facts, EPA Ad-
ministrator Lisa Jackson has become something
of a national hero in the modern environmen-
tal movement. For all the praise from environ-
mental groups, Jackson has been careful and
thorough in putting together a common-sense
approach for dealing with the country’s biggest
environmental regulatory problems.
As an editorial in the Los Angeles Times point-
ed out, the real question isn’t why the EPA is act-
ing before Congress does. The question is: “Why
has it taken so long?” •
FEBRUARY 2011 09
 ASSAULT
ASSANGE
By Jordan Heide
“W
e help you safely get the truth
out.”
Boldly printed across its
homepage, this proclamation summarizes
the intentions of WikiLeaks, the infamous
database currently under immense scrutiny
for disclosing classified documents of vari-
ous political institutions around the world.
What founder Julian Assange fails to men-
tion is that once the truth is out, safety can
no longer be assured.
WikiLeaks strives to provide a secure me-
dium for conscientious whistle-blowers
attempting to expose the corrupt actions
of their respective governments and cor-
What founder porations. The database contains over 1.5
Julian Assange fails to million documents from numerous world
mention is that once powers, including France, Iran, Australia,
Germany and Britain.
the truth is out, safety “We are of assistance to peoples of all
can no longer be as- countries who wish to reveal unethical
sured. behavior in their governments and institu-
tions. We aim for maximum political im-
pact,” the site states.
The potential of WikiLeaks was realized
when Private First Class Bradley Manning of
the United States Army submitted videos of
air strikes conducted in Baghdad and Gra-
nai, along with 260,000 other diplomatic
cables. The apathetic disposition of the pi-
lots responsible for the air strikes shocked
Americans and international citizens alike.
The air strike in Baghdad (referred to by
WikiLeaks as the “Collateral Murder”) re-
sulted in the death of 18 unarmed civilians.
The diplomatic cables revealed egregious
“[One way] of nur- atrocities committed by the U.S. govern-
turing victims is to ment, including but not limited to the coax-
ing of foreign allies to house Guantanamo
police perpetrators prisoners, American diplomats’ unorthodox
of crime.” involvement in the sale of jetliners on the
global market, and the United States’ par-
10 FEBRUARY 2011
ON
ticipation in an international conspiracy to
ignore Cuba’s countless human rights vio-
lations. Most notorious was the revelation
that the U.S. Army had disregarded claims
of torture made by Iraqi authorities.
Yet while the content of these cables
has evoked outrage, much attention has
been devoted to the legality of the leaks.
Assange and Manning have been criticized
for exposing the corruption of imperious
governments and threatening national
security. Manning has even been detained
by the U.S. Army and could face up to 52
years in prison simply for releasing classi-
fied information. Assange currently resides
in London, attempting to dodge extradition
to Sweden for charges against him regard-
ing sexual misconduct (accusations which
Assange vehemently denies.)
In an interview with TED’s Chris Ander-
son, Assange defended WikiLeaks, saying
that “capable, generous men do not create
victims; they nurture victims. [One way] of
nurturing victims is to police perpetrators
of crime.”
Despite any noble intentions, Assange has
been demonized in the media. The New
York Times described him as “the flamboy-
ant founder of WikiLeaks,” including in its
description the irrelevant fact that Assange
currently resides on “a supporter’s 600-
acre estate outside London where he has
negotiated $1.7 million in book deals and
regularly issues defiant statements about
the anti-secrecy group’s plans.”
Since Assange’s leap to fame, the me-
dia has captured his every move. Yet in at-
tempts to achieve neutrality and present a
candid portrayal of Assange, news outlets
have unnecessarily attacked aspects of As-
sange’s character that have no bearing on
his role in the WikiLeaks scandal. Assange
has been criticized by multiple sources for
possessing a cavalier, arrogant demeanor,
exaggerated to such an extent that one
would be inclined to believe that Assange
is as menacing as an insolent dictator. Even
descriptions of Assange’s appearance as-
sume a disapproving tone. Here’s a quote
from the Times’ Sunday magazine:
“He’s tall — probably 6-foot-2 or 6-3 — and
lanky, with pale skin, gray eyes and a shock
of white hair that seizes your attention. He
was alert but disheveled, like a bag lady
walking in off the street, wearing a dingy,
light-colored sport coat and cargo pants,
dirty white shirt, beat-up sneakers and
filthy white socks that collapsed around his
ankles. He smelled as if he hadn’t bathed
in days.”
The New York Times has made little effort
to disguise its contempt for Assange, illus-
trating him as “smart and well educated,
extremely adept technologically but arro-
gant, thin-skinned, conspiratorial and oddly
credulous.” Although acknowledging of As-
sange’s technical brilliance, the New York
Times abrasively labels him as “conspirato-
rial and oddly credulous,” insinuating that
he is both manipulative and perhaps a bit
ignorant.
Yet the Times fails to provide evidence
supporting these claims or establish a con-
nection between Assange’s boastful per-
sonality and the legitimacy of the WikiLeaks
documents. Negative comments regarding
Assange’s disposition are simply the per-
ception of the reporter and are not rooted
in fact. No observations on Assange’s char-
acter have been substantiated or directly
connected to the work of WikiLeaks.
Bill Keller, New York Times columnist and
author of “Open Secrets: WikiLeaks, War
and American Diplomacy: Complete and
Expanded Coverage from The New York
Times,” claimed that Assange behaved “like
a fugitive, changing crash pads, e-mail ad-
dresses and cellphones frequently” during
their many lucrative meetings prior to the
release of the data that Pfc. Manning sub-
mitted. Keller even resorted to pejoratively
describing Assange as an “office geek”
when Assange offered up his technical sav-
vy to Keller and a few fellow reporters who
were attempting to dissect the WikiLeaks
database. Keller provides no reason to dis-
trust Assange other than the fact that he
simply feels uneasy around the “notorious
hacker.”
Perhaps some of these claims are true.
Perhaps Assange is audacious and practic-
es poor hygiene. Perhaps he does behave
in a paranoid and erratic manner. But if the
authenticity of his information is verifiable, One would be
what relevance do any of these accusations inclined to believe that
have?
Assange is as menacing
The concern of the media should be
solely on the veracity of the documents as an insolent dictator.
published by WikiLeaks, not on the quirks
and idiosyncrasies of the site’s creator. The
fact that Mark Zuckerberg may have com-
mitted intellectual property theft when he
created Facebook doesn’t make his web-
site any less useful or pervasive in today’s
society. The same logic applies to Assange
and WikiLeaks. As long as the site’s infor-
mation is truthful and accurate, Assange’s
“dingy, light-colored sport coat” and “beat-
up sneakers” do not affect the authenticity
of the leaks and have no business domi-
nating the media’s coverage of WikiLeaks.
News outlets need to refrain from employ-
ing sensationalist tactics and rely solely
and unequivocally on the facts. •
FEBRUARY 2011 11
 By Luda Shtessel
G
overnment funding for embryonic
stem cell research is once again un-
der debate, but this time, surprisingly,
it is political and not doctrinal ambiguity
PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
that is driving the fight. Traditionally, em-
bryonic stem cell research has garnered
criticism for the unavoidable destruction
of embryos that accompanies the devel-
opment of new embryonic stem cell lines.
However, most recently, ESC research has
been threatened by a lawsuit brought on
by members of the scientific community us-
ing legislation, specifically the Dickey-Wick-
er Amendment, to halt all federal funding
STEM CELL
for this research. Semantics, of course, is at
the center of the debate.
Human embryonic stem cells are unique
in their ability to give rise to all the tissues
of the human body. When a developing
RESEARCH FUNDING
embryo reaches about 150 cells, some cells
are carefully removed and cultured under
specific conditions that can give rise to hu-
man embryonic stem cells. In 1998, a group
of researchers at the University of Wiscon-
Political, not religious, sin created the first human embryonic stem
cell line, where cells continued to grow in a
barriers inform embryonic stem cell
petri dish in an undeveloped and immortal
research funding state. Other researchers work with non-
embryo-derived stem cells, such as adult
stem cells, which can grow much longer
than fully developed cells but can only ma-
ture into the tissues from which they were
taken.
Most embryos used for stem cell research
are procured from in vitro fertilization clin-
ics, where some that go unused are donat-
ed consciously and willingly to science. Un-
der these circumstances, fertilized embryos
are not forcibly created for scientific manip-
ulation since IVF participants undergo em-
bryonic fertilization on their own terms for
reproductive purposes. Embryos that don’t
get implanted or used for research face
prolonged storage or disposal. Conserva-
tive groups reject government funding for
research that involves the destruction of
When “embryos” are these unwanted embryos.
listed as the third On August 9, 2001, as a compromise be-
plaintiff in a case, the tween our country’s conservative moralism
and the pursuit of innovation, discovery and
lack of formality im- health, George W. Bush ordered that federal
plied, unfortunately, funding could only be used for research on
does not match the embryonic stem cell lines that had already
gravity of the situation. been established prior to his announce-
ment. Because the establishment of new
ESC lines requires the destruction of fertil-
12 FEBRUARY 2011
ized embryos, federal funds would no lon-
ger be allocated for such tasks, prompting
concern from the scientific community. Un-
der Bush’s executive order, 78 pre-existing
ESC lines, which were past the initial stage
of ICM removal but not necessarily fully
developed, qualified for federal funding.
Unfortunately, only 21 of these lines were
successfully cultured into full-fledged im-
mortal, pluripotent embryonic stem cells.
For a result to be convincing or credible,
scientists often repeat experiments under
different conditions to rebuff any results
that may have come about coincidentally.
Therefore, any results acquired using one
stem cell line would necessitate replication
with several others. A cap on the number
of ESC lines available threatened the ability
of scientists to replicate their results, be-
getting the concern about the integrity of
scientific research.
A more tangible concern was the use of
space and resources that would have to be
kept separate in labs that decided to con-
tinue to perform research with cell lines de-
rived after August 9. Tubes, solutions, petri
dishes—any supplies that are necessary for
cell culture—would have to be purchased
twice, once with federal funds for existing
cells lines and once with private funds for
new cell lines. This posed a daunting task,
since there is barely enough room for one
set of research materials in most laborato-
ries. (Perhaps the graduate students were
relegated to coat closets to make room for
the inevitable redundancy.)
Almost a decade later, the hopes of the
scientific community hung on Obama’s
presidency, and he certainly delivered. On
March 9, 2009, the President rescinded
Bush’s restrictions on stem cell research.
His executive order outlined a federal im-
perative to “support and conduct respon-
sible, scientifically worthy human stem
cell research, including human embryonic
stem cell research, to the extent permitted
by law.” Obama might have re-introduced
federal funding for newly-derived ESCs and
put “an end to an administrative nightmare
that had seen [scientists] set up separate
lab space and equipment to ensure that
federal dollars are not inadvertently used
for research on non-authorized cells,” Pe-
ter Aldhous of NewScientist explains, but
Obama also left the funding of embryonic
stem cell line creation to private sources.
FEBRUARY 2011 13

STEM CELL, CONT.
What is so agonizing and
difficult to understand
is why the government
resorted to ambiguity in
such an important piece
of legislation.
14 FEBRUARY 2011
Obama’s executive order, “to the extent
permitted by law,” might as well have read
“to the extent permitted by the Dickey-Wick-
er Amendment”. The Dickey-Wicker Amend-
ment, passed in 1996 and renewed yearly
since then, dictates that federal funds may
not be used for research “in which human
embryos are created, destroyed, discarded
or subjected to risk of injury or death”.
For the last 14 years, this amendment has
been interpreted to mean that the federal
government can fund research on (already
perished) embryos but not contribute di-
rectly to their destruction, allowing for em-
bryonic stem cell research to benefit from
National Institute of Health funding. On
August 19, 2010, Drs. James Sherley and
Theresa Deisher brought a suit against the
Department of Health and Human Services
demanding an injunction on federal fund-
ing of human ESC research on the basis
that the “Guidelines for Human Stem Cell
Research are contrary to law.”
Several things about this lawsuit are con-
cerning. The first, the “competitor standing
doctrine”, requires the plaintiffs to prove
that they would benefit from the ruling and
would otherwise be irreparably hurt. This
doctrine directly opposes the conflict-of-
interest declaration all researchers have to
sign when they submit results for publica-
tion. These researchers are definitely going
to benefit. Drs. Sherley and Deisher per-
form research using adult stem cells, cells
that are not derived from embryos and lack
some of the pluripotency associated with
ESCs. They claimed that Obama’s open pol-
icy on federal funding for all ESC research
would compromise their chances of acquir-
ing federal funds for their own research.
But isn’t that how competition works?
Federal funding is supposed to be competi-
tive. It is true that plaintiffs must show a
personal investment to legally proceed.
But as scientists, they have been taught
that it’s morally wrong to advocate for
self-promoting results. If that isn’t baffling
enough, the list of other plaintiffs men-
tioned in the suit is enough to think this
is a big joke. When “embryos” are listed
as the third plaintiff in a case, the lack of
formality implied, unfortunately, does not
match the gravity of the situation.
On August 23, 2010, Judge Lamberth, a
U.S. District Court judge, ruled in favor of the
plaintiffs. The injunction accepts the defen-
dants’ claim that “the term ‘research’ [in
the Dickey-Wicker Amendment] is ambigu-
ous”. Specifically, the prohibition imposed
by the Dickey-Wicker Amendment “encom-
passes all ‘research in which’ an embryo is
destroyed, not just the ‘piece of research’ in
which the embryo is destroyed.” Basically,
the judge agreed with the plaintiffs’ inter-
pretation of the Amendment, proclaiming
that “ESC research is [unambiguously] re-
search in which an embryo is destroyed.”
It’s hard not to agree with this interpreta-
tion. For example, “going for a run” includes
not only the actual “running” part but also
the “putting on tennis shoes” routine and
the “walking out of the door” bit, both of
which are unavoidable. What is so ago-
nizing and difficult to understand is why
the government resorted to ambiguity in
such an important piece of legislation. On
September 9, 2010 the federal government
fired back, requesting a “motion to stay pre-
liminary injunction pending appeal”, which
would allow the NIH to continue funding
ESC research throughout the appeals pro-
cess. The motion states that the NIH “has
consistently interpreted the Amendment to
prohibit federal funding of the derivation of
a stem cell line.”
There is that word: interpreted. The fed-
eral government’s only defense is that
its interpretation of the Dickey-Wicker
Amendment has been consistent since the
Amendment’s inception 14 years ago, so
the language must be clear and unambigu-
ous in its intent. That kind of logic is sloppy
and troublesome if it leaves opportunity for
legal recourse by a greedy third party.
It’s obvious that the U.S. is committed to
promoting research that may further our
understanding of human disease. Specifi-
cally, the federal government has unwav-
eringly promoted human embryonic stem
cell research. So why not stop all the inter-
pretation and start writing forthright legis-
lation? •
WALL STREET
SECRETS
F By Kara Williams
raud is a dirty word on Wall Street. Yet
it plays a role in the economic down-
turn of 2008. The effects of the Global
Financial Crisis, specifically the recession
in the United States, are still having a dra-
matic influence on the relatively high un-
employment rates and widespread finan-
cial distress among American society. While
a large proportion of Americans have been
making hard decisions about their financ-
es, some people, particularly investment
bankers, have actually benefited from this
borrowing. So how exactly did Wall Street
investors earn their money during the eco-
nomic downfall?
First, fraud at investment companies is a
problem that is largely kept an insider se-
cret. How does this happen? Put simply, the
kind of regulations that are applied to just
about every other industry and sector do
not apply to America’s investment corpora-
tions. This means that the Federal Reserve
does not have the power to regulate pri-
vate investment firms. This is why regular
banking is regulated but investment bank-
ing is not. This has enabled reckless lend-
ing in the form of “Liar’s Loans” – loans that
enable people to borrow huge amounts of
cash with little proof that they can pay it
back.
Second, some of Bush’s financial regu-
lators are still in charge under President
Obama, and the conservative idea that
“markets cleanse themselves” remains the
dominant ideology. This results in a contin-
ued lack of regulation in the financial sec-
tor. These Wall Street investors are able to
make and keep their money in the form of
salaries, investments, fraud and calculated
tax evasion, which clearly points to a struc-
tural and systemic problem: that this is an
industry, a long-standing institution, that
is barely being constrained by government
regulation at all.
Even business schools have been called
“fraud factories” for the way they teach fi-
nancial methods that will keep the rich,
rich and make the poor, poorer. So the cycle
goes on and those who control the mon-
ey in such an unregulated manner have a
growing capacity to control the economy
of the country. The ruling class in the U.S.
is perhaps not the ruling political party, but
whoever controls the money.
If we view wealth as an individual’s or
group’s marketable assets, then according
to G. William Domhoff, a research profes-
sor at the University of California at Santa
Cruz, 0.05 percent of America’s elite pos-
sess and control 20-25 percent (but maybe
even more) of U.S. finances . This extremely
unequal distribution of wealth is reinforced
by institutions such as investment banks
who may accumulate their wealth by fraud
and unregulated markets within which
they can take huge financial risks with few
consequences. Surely if these investors
take such risks, taxpayers should not have
to bear the burden when such risks go awry
(Goldman Sachs is a looming example of
this problem.) The loopholes that enabled
these financial firms to take irresponsible
risks must be closed and consumer protec-
tions instigated.
So what needs to happen? Four words:
common sense financial reform. The fi-
nancial industry needs to stop benefiting
from consumers. The “special” rules and
exceptions for some (i.e. the elite) should
be abolished and more equitable regula-
tions put in place to discourage fraud. The
Democrats have proposed reforms that will
increasingly protect the financial system
and overall economy, encourage transpar-
ency in the open market (so that the closed
doors of investment corporations are flung
open), provide consumers with stronger fi-
nancial protections and give shareholders
new power in financial system (for example
a “say on the pay” of CEOs). If implemented
effectively, these proposed reforms could
begin to shape America’s financial sector in
a more positive way.
As the United States continues to add to
its debt, perhaps it is time to question who
The ruling class in
exactly should be paying for the mistakes America is perhaps
of top investing directors – us or everyone not the ruling
else? When even our president is saying political party, but
that “there is no dividing line between whoever controls
Main Street and Wall Street,” surely finan-
cial reform should be up there with the top
the money.
priorities of this nation. •
FEBRUARY 2011 15
 Giving Year-Round
By Zak Mathews
I By Brandon Wiggins
t has been a couple months since the
holidays. What’s happened to your gifts?
That little trinket you asked your par-
ents for isn’t quite as useful as you thought
it was going to be. That meal you ate with
your restaurant gift card sure was tasty,
but it’s not helping with your New Year’s
Resolution to get back into shape. And that
sweater your grandma gave you has slowly
worked its way to the bottom of the clothes
stack because, let’s face it, Grandma is still
living in 1950, bless her heart. We’ve all had
those Christmas gifts where you smile and
say “thank you” while wondering if anyone
would ever actually want the gift you just
received.
Let me tell you what I received for Christ-
mas this year. I got a goat and some water.
Everything on my Christmas list! My gifts
were given by Heifer International and
Water.org, just two of many great organiza-
tions helping with charitable giving. When
friends and family asked me what I wanted
this Christmas, I thought about it and real-
ized there was absolutely nothing. One Fri-
day night while flipping around for some-
thing to watch, I came upon an episode of
ABC’s 20/20 featuring a laundry list of the
world’s problems and some ways to help.
During the show, I realized what I wanted
for Christmas. I wanted to give my gift to
someone in need.
Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of
great Christmas gifts, but giving up just
one of many could actually save lives. For
example, Water.org can provide a lifetime
supply of water for one person for just
$25. This is critical, as approximately one in
eight people lack safe water, and 3.5 mil-
lion people die from water-related diseas-
es each year. Heifer International provides
both animals and training to communities
in need around the world while promoting
sustainability. They teach the recipients to
harvest resources like milk or wool from
When friends and
animals without killing them.
family asked me These are just two of many wonderful
what I wanted this organizations. There are more traditional
Christmas, I thought charities like the Red Cross that do great
about it and realized work here in the U.S. and abroad. The Cen-
tral Asia Institute provides education to re-
there was absolutely
mote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan
nothing. which in turn helps to bring a greater level
of peace to those areas. Many public fig-
16 FEBRUARY 2011
SPOTLIGHT STUDENTS HELPING HONDURAS
S
ures have formed their own organizations, tudents Helping Honduras is an organization
including the Clinton Foundation, which dedicated to building “a movement of young
has aided Haiti’s disaster recovery efforts, leaders to empower orphaned and vulnerable
and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, children in Honduras.”
which focuses on health. The organization was founded by Shin Fujiyama
Want a more local option? There are when he was still a student at Mary Washington.
plenty of deserving charities right here in Since then, the organization has spread to nearly
Orange County. For example, the Inter-Faith 100 schools on the East coast.
Council for Social Service provides a variety
of services to the poor including providing What SHH Does: The organization holds Get Involved: SHH
the area’s food kitchen. Habitat for Human- fundraisers on campus throughout the school year holds fundraisers through-
ity uses a hands-on approach to provide to raise money, which is used to sponsor service out the year and is always
affordable housing. If you don’t have any trips to Honduras during the summer, winter, and eager for more volunteers.
money to give, why not spend a weekend the spring. Even if you can’t get involved
with your family and volunteer your time by In the past, volunteers have aided in the construc- in the club’s local fundrais-
helping serve food or build a house? tion of schools and worked to develop a positive ers, you can still sign up to
You’re asking: why didn’t you tell me relationship with the local villagers. The service proj- go on any of the volunteer
about this in December? But a better ques- ects allow volunteers to make a substantial, lasting trips to Honduras.
tion is, why not keep the giving season impact on the Honduran community. Students who wish for
alive throughout the year? There are ob- more information can visit
vious gift-giving occasions like birthdays National Website: either the national organi-
where you could ask your friends to give http://www.studentshelpinghonduras.org zation website or the UNC
your gift to charity. Ask your parents if they chapter website.
would rather have a charitable donation UNC Website:
made in their name for Mother’s or Father’s http://www.studentshelpinghonduras.org/unc
Day rather than the clutter they are used
to getting. Or better yet, why not give on
a daily basis? Set aside a dollar from every
pay check or spend a free weekend help-
ing out at the charity of your choice. There
are many easy and affordable ways to give
back.
No matter the organization or form of
help, consider giving your gift to a charity.
I’ve listed some of my favorite organiza- Siete de Abril Elementary. In
tions, but take a few minutes to find one 2006, SHH built a one class-
that interests you. We all have different room elementary school at
passions, so why not find an organization Siete de Abril that is currently
tailored to your interests? Just be sure that enrolling nearly 100 children.
you give your time and money to a repu-
table organization. You can ask for a com-
pany’s financial statements to be sure that
the money is going to where they say it is
and not being used for advertising or ad-
ministrative overhead. You can also look to
see if a reliable news organization has pro-
filed your organization. With a little home-
work, and a lot of love, we can all make a
difference.
Oh, and for those of you wondering what
to get me for my birthday later this month,
I would like a flock of chickens, or maybe
just a tall glass of water. •
PHOTO BY STUDENTS HELPING HONDURAS
FEBRUARY 2011 17
 LOSING
OUR EDGE
How our nation’s education system is failing us
By Troy Homesley
T
he American Dream invokes emotions
of hope, success, class mobility, equal-
ity and freedom.  Could our present ed-
ucational system be holding us back from
realizing these dreams and our nation’s po-
tential? For the last four decades, scholars
and politicians have been trying to devise
solutions to our nation’s growing educa-
tional shortcomings.
 In January, President Obama tackled
the issue in his State of the Union Ad-
dress.  Obama stated that he hopes that
giving students the best possible chance
at an adequate education and raising ex-
pectations will help America recover from
its current slump.  This slump refers to the
U.S. ranking 9th in the world in proportion
of college graduates to overall population.
  Obama said in his address, "We measure
progress by the success of our people....By
the opportunities for a better life that we
pass on to our children."  But are these op-
portunities really provided in a fair manner?
 Like many policy issues, it all begins
with money. The Gini coefficient, which
measures inequality of income, reveals a
steadily widening economic gap in Ameri-
ca. With each generation there is a lesser
chance that a U.S. citizen will move up one
quartile from his or her parents’ income
bracket.   Education plays a critical role in
reversing these trends. Jonathan Kozol
characterized our educational disparities
frankly in his expository novel on the sub-
ject entitled Savage Inequalities. It turns
out that his description was accurate.
Neighborhood Schools
  Part of the money problems that contrib-
Under these ute to the education gap is the property
circumstances, tax dilemma in school districts that sup-
PHOTO BY CAITLIN GRAHAM
equal opportunity port neighborhood schools. Property taxes
in education is a generate more money in more affluent
neighborhoods, which leads to higher rev-
myth. enue for schools in those areas. In lower-
income neighborhoods, property taxes do
18 FEBRUARY 2011
not generate as much revenue. As a result,
the quality of education in these low-in-
come neighborhoods suffers. The facilities
and resources available in these schools
are commonly aged and inferior. Schools
in lower income areas are more prone to
violence and apathy, which in turn foster a
hostile learning environment.
  The property tax dilemma results in a sys-
tem where the poor cannot obtain the op-
portunities that the rich are born into. This
system does not promote democratic val-
ues, nor does it bolster those in our society
who need the most help and support. Un-
der these circumstances, equal opportunity
in education is a myth.
Early Education
 There is evidence that education gap be-
gins startlingly early as increased chances
for learning come to the most privileged
and wealthiest even before children enter
kindergarten.  
 A long-term study conducted in Chapel Hill
revealed that early professional childcare
has a large effect on later success.  The Car-
olina Abecedarian Project found that, "the
importance of high quality, educational
childcare from early infancy is now clear.
The Abecedarian project provides scientific
evidence that early childhood education
significantly improves the scholastic suc-
cess and educational attainments of poor
children even into early adulthood."
 These findings indicate the need for policy
reform. From an early age, children are di-
vided into two groups based on the socio-
economic status of their parents.  A state-
subsidized childcare system would help
solve this problem and also the problem
of unaffordable childcare.  This system has
already proved successful in Sweden, Den-
mark and France.
 The U.S. has made attempts at this type of
system with the Head Start program, which
is a comprehensive pre-school educational
FEBRUARY 2011 19
 program provided for low-income children
and their families. However, this program
is not nearly as far-reaching and inclusive
as those of the European countries which
have taken this initiative.   risk youth back into public schools, where
Charter Schools
  Yet another obstacle to equality in educa-
tion lies in a relatively new institution: the
charter school.  In recent years, charter and
private schools have become increasingly
popular.  Mirroring the "white flight" of
white Americans fleeing to suburban areas
in the 60s, there is a "class flight" to charter
and private schools. This movement steals
talent from public schools and lessens the
socioeconomic diversity of their school sys-
tems.   lic schools and will therefore lead to bet-
  By law, the maximum number of charter
schools in North Carolina is 100.  However,
the new Republican legislative majority
plans, as one of their first acts, to eliminate
this cap.  standard curriculum.
  Such a decision could lead to further in-
equalities. According to Tyler Whittenberg, a
guest columnist for The Herald-Sun, "many
charter schools have lower percentages of
minority, special needs and economically
disadvantaged students than traditional
schools within the district."   American tax dollars.
  Because charter schools have less regu-
lation than public schools, they are not re-
U.S. Income InEqualitY
Family Gini Coefficient
GINI COEFFICIENT
YEAR
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
20 FEBRUARY 2011
quired to have special needs teachers, or
teachers for at-risk students.  Instead, they
only need to cater to top students. This
saves them money and forces the most at-
funds are diminishing.  
  Each time a child switches to a char-
ter school, the tax dollars that otherwise
would go to that child's public school
are re-routed to the charter school in the
form of a voucher. Because of this, charter
schools also cause a drop in public school
funding.
  With more charter schools, it is clear that
inequality in education will become more
common. Some argue that private and
charter schools create competition for pub-
ter public school systems. This may sound
good on paper, but in reality it leads to elit-
ist schools with low diversity, hidden agen-
das and alternative teaching that ignores
  There’s also an issue of constitutionality.
Some charter schools are religiously af-
filiated. Not only do charter schools pose
a challenge to educational equality, they
also challenge our First Amendment, since
religious charter schools are funded by
TREND LINE
Since 1970
The higher the gini
coefficient, the
higher inequality
Here at Home
  Locally, one can see examples of school
inequality across districts differing in demo-
graphics.  The three main school districts
around Chapel Hill are Chapel Hill-Carrboro
City Schools, Durham County Schools and
Orange County Schools.
  Durham and Orange County Schools re-
ceive all of their funding from the state,
while Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools re-
ceive state funding as well as revenue
from a separate tax for Chapel Hill resi-
dents.  When one considers spending per
student in these school districts, striking
disparities can be seen.
  The above table was compiled with infor-
mation from the National Center for Educa-
tion Statistics website.  The spending per
child was figured by dividing total revenue
by number of students in each school dis-
trict.
The differences are clear.  Suburban
Chapel Hill City Schools spend more than
$1500 more per child than those in the
inner-city Durham School district.  Orange
County schools spend over $3000 more per
student than Durham County schools.
  The inconsistencies between these subur-
ban and urban school districts attest to the
education gap. There are large inequalities
in education, education spending, and edu-
cation quality depending on geographic lo-
cation, neighborhood and socioeconomic
status.
Bridging the Gap   our nation combat the gaps between edu-
  The problems are daunting, but there are
many solutions. First, there must be edu-
cation reform beginning at the most basic
level. This means making childcare widely
affordable and equal for all income levels.   today. These are savage inequalities that
  Second, there must be attempts to en-
sure that if we choose to allow the 'flight'
to private and charter schools that there be
2000 Census data
local district spending
equal access to these schools for all ethnic-
ities and classes. This is an imperative part
of preserving the democratic values behind
free public education in America.
  It is also important that there be specific
policies and rules for regulating charter
schools. In North Carolina, some charters
are granted every 10 years, and they only
need to be reviewed every five years. Poli-
cies like these must be improved in the
quest for charter school accountability.
  Third, there must be a concerted attempt
by both policy-makers and citizens to find
an equilibrium where quality of education
is not affected by geographic or socioeco-
nomic location. There should be no dif-
ference between the quality of education
based on the general prosperity of a given
neighborhood or town.
  Another way to restore equality is through
the use of technology. By providing all stu-
dents with the resources to which other
students already have access, a large part
of the learning gap can be erased. This is
the mind set at Mooresville Graded School
District in Mooresville, NC.  Each student at
MGSD was supplied with a laptop in 2008
as part of a one-to-one initiative.  The lap-
tops were provided to all students for a
small insurance fee.  
  In the last two years, MGSD has made
massive strides in education, and is quick-
ly becoming one of the most successful
public school districts in the state.  Using
equalizing initiatives like these will help
cation and ignorance and rich and poor.
  Equal opportunity is a central part of our
democracy. But we clearly have extreme
disparities in our public education system
no child should have to endure and no first-
world nation should sustain. •
FEBRUARY 2011 21

BEYONDTHE
T
he Asian Student Association (ASA) held its annual Journey
Into Asia show in Memorial Hall on January 22. Inspired by
the Confucius quote, “Study the past if you would define
future,” they picked “Reflection” for this year’s theme. The show
combined both traditional and modern elements, highlighting
the sub-cultural groups of Asia.
According to the first-year representative Jihoon Baek, the JIA
show was primarily established to employ the talents and re-
sources within the Asian-American community to foster cultural
awareness. However, more elements were added this year, the
most prominent being an affiliation with R.E.A.C.H. (Relying Em-
powerment-Anything Can Happen), a tri-campus charity project
founded by a group of students from NCSU, Duke, and UNC in
2008. R.E.A.C.H. strives to empower unprivileged communities
across the globe by providing educational facilities and has al-
ready built its first school in Guangxi, China. R.E.A.C.H. also col-
laborates with China Tomorrow Education Foundation. By pro-
moting the R.E.A.C.H. project through the show and donating
the proceeds to R.E.A.C.H., ASA has shown its commitment to
global awareness.
22 FEBRUARY 2011
STAGE By Santo Jiang
Another interesting aspect, as noticed by Dr. Robin Visser, the
faculty advisor of the show and associate professor in Asian
Studies, is the reduced anxiety of Asian-Americans. She said that
through creative performances, there is less anxiety concerning
identity and cultural difference. Visser described the jokes made
about Asians as being “healthy and refreshing.” Referring to a
recent talk between Visser and the Asian American Parent As-
sociation, she felt that the typical Asian complex of inferiority
has gone and that the young generation is opening up a new
era. She has also witnessed a “power shift” as an increasing
number of Asians is getting involved with the local community
by holding leadership positions in student organizations.
Over the past few years, UNC students have demonstrated
their commitment to bringing positive change to the world.
We have Dream Corps which is dedicated to promoting reading
education in China; we have service programs in various parts
of the globe providing health care, education and infrastructure
construction; we also have individual students who are devoted
to impacting the world in a positive way. Visser appreciates this
“power shift” as it diversifies the community and is glad to see
UNC’s leading position in the transition. •
NAME SAYOKO SUEYOSHI
YEAR FIRST-YEAR MAJOR BIOLOGY
Born in Japan, Sayoko first heard of this show from
her close friend and already had experience from high
school. Also, she has deep interest in design and is the
co-founder and manager of S4StyleX, a T-shirt design
team.
NAME ASHLEY MUI
YEAR JUNIOR MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
An American-born Chinese, Ashley played the tra-
ditional China role in the fashion show. Her favorite
television show is America’s Next Top Model and this
is one of the main reasons that she participated in the
show.
NAME RITA PHETMIXAY
YEAR SOPHOMORE MAJOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
AND COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Rita is Thai-Laotian and acted as a traditional Thai in
the show. She joined the show to promote ethnic and
cultural awareness in appreciation of the diversity of
the Asian-American community. As an international
studies and communication studies double major, she
wished to enhance her knowledge, skills, and experi-
ence through this show.
FEBRUARY 2011 23
This publication was paid for at least in part by
UNC student fees