Volunteer in government: Students should consider opportunities to get involved in the Chapel Hill town government

Students should take the opportunity to get involved in Chapel Hill’s town government.As a college town, Chapel Hill has a lot to gain from a student’s perspective, and there are a number of ways anyone interested can get involved.It’s never too early to get into local politics — a Winston-Salem State University student who won the city’s Democratic primary for City Council this year knows that well enough.Becoming a Town Council member might not be the easiest option to start with, but that’s OK.

Cartoon for Sept. 29

Cartoon for Sept. 29

Imperial system outdated, confusing

America today is all about efficiency — faster cars, faster Internet connection, faster food — and I think this is something that, considering how our society works, fits us quite well. Time is money, and America loves money, and with more time, of course, follows more money. Speed rules the day, and for our purposes it all adds up.Our society as a whole craves new, constantly advancing technology that will make our lives run more smoothly. And we buy accordingly.

Don’t bother with Max: New Tucker Max movie is abhorrent

The last thing our society needs is any more glorification of sexual violence, the objectification of women and rape culture. Unfortunately, Tucker Max’s new movie does nothing but reinforce these attitudes.Tucker is the blogger-turned-author responsible for the best-selling book “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell,” now adapted as a film.The self-proclaimed “asshole” built his career writing and blogging about toilet humor, sexual conquests, drunken debauchery and degrading the handicapped.

Sooner rather than later: Women should have been noti?ed that their SSNs were exposed to hacker sooner

The University was wrong to wait almost two months to notify research participants of a security breach that compromised their information.The breach was detected in a UNC School of Medicine database in July. It affected 236,000 women participating in breast cancer research. That information included about 163,000 Social Security numbers.Officials at the medical school decided to investigate more before alerting the women affected, so letters are going out today. That was a bad decision.

Don’t waste their time: Sending student government leaders to ASG meetings is a waste of their time; Jones should veto bill

If UNC-Chapel Hill must commit itself to the Association of Student Governments, let’s at least minimize the opportunity cost of our involvement. Currently, UNC-CH’s delegation to the ASG consists of Student Body President Jasmin Jones and three of her appointees.But a bill that was recently passed by Student Congress would appoint Jones, Joe Levin-Manning, speaker of Student Congress, a delegate appointed by the Graduate and Professional Student Federation president and a fourth person agreed upon by the student body president.

Police tactics during G-20 summit deserve coverage

TO THE EDITOR:There was a serious situation at University of Pittsburgh last week in regards to the G-20 conference. The city was under de facto martial law and University of Pittsburgh students were tear-gassed and beaten for no reason other than being on the street. No news station is covering these events, and the only way I’ve heard of it is from my friends that go there. YouTube has videos of what’s taking place and it’s some of the most disturbing footage I’ve ever seen.

Green ideal candidate for local school board election

TO THE EDITOR:Joseph Green is an ideal candidate for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education. He has significant experience in the education field, having taught at both the secondary and collegiate level, and now serving as Director of UNC’s Upward Bound program. Green, being relatively new to this district, also has the ability to give a fresh perspective to district issues and bring about the innovation required to make our great schools even greater and able to educate all of our students.

Clarification of biblical interpretation needed

TO THE EDITOR:In the time-honored tradition of using one’s own opening statement against the author, maybe Angel Collie should have done a bit of research on the Bible before writing that it supports transgenderism as a lifestyle sanctioned by God (“Christianity more inclusive than Street asserts in letter,” Sept. 28)

Leave theology out of transgendered debate

TO THE EDITOR:I must say I’m disappointed with The Daily Tar Heel’s coverage of transgendered people and religion. I submitted a letter in response (that was not published) to Grayson Street’s assertion that an online comment misunderstood Christians (“Bible lays out what is sinful behavior and what is not,” Sept. 25), stating that perhaps Street should try to understand transgender people before pronouncing them sinful.

Cartoon for Sept. 28

Viewpoints: Laptop use in class

The issue: Laptop use in class can be a contentious issue. Some argue that laptops can be distracting and that professors reserve the right to ban their use outright. Others believe that laptops aid in the learning process and students should have the right to use them in class. In today’s Viewpoints, two members of the DTH Editorial Board debate their side of the issue. Students can make own decisions

Embrace your new fall TV friends

Something momentous happened to me this week. Actually, it happened to you as well.I am, of course, referring to the new fall season of television.The beginning of a new season of television is an important social and personal event. New people enter our lives through these new shows, and we also get to see the same faces that have been coming back for years.

Christianity more inclusive than Street asserts in letter

TO THE EDITOR:Perhaps Grayson Street should have taken his own advice before criticizing a community of people and done a bit of research on how the Bible represents transgender people. “In the beginning” … God created the first human in God’s image, Genesis 1:27. To be created in God’s image means embodying the complementary character aspects, including both the masculine and feminine energies, of the divine.

Limited coverage of rape reports is unacceptable

TO THE EDITOR:Let me start by saying my views are my own because you insist on identifying me by my staff title.Now, as much as I want to understand the dynamic relationship between the University and the Greek system, I am much more interested in a woman being kidnapped and raped from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Monday night.

YWC can have a minority leader and be prejudiced

TO THE EDITOR:We are writing in response to Nikhil Patel’s letter, “From group’s president: YWC isn’t racist, radical” (Sept. 22).He posits that since he is a non-white person, Youth for Western Civilization must not be a racist organization. The argument that racism cannot exist in the organization because their president is not white is flawed.

Cartoon for Sept. 24

Cartoon for Sept. 25

How we cover the Greek system

I understand why the Greek community is upset.Our headlines have been dominated by topics that relate to fraternities and sororities — some directly, others less so.We have not devoted so much space to these issues because of a vendetta against the Greek system. Many members of The Daily Tar Heel, including editors, are in fraternities or sororities.But cocaine arrests and the changing relationship between the University and the fraternity system are big news in our community, and we would be irresponsible if we chose not to cover them as completely as possible.