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14 THE GAMECOCK ♦ September 12, 2003 ■sound off TTTITTrnA' lymn online poll KStaSSSfor l H , \/\/ I \ I 11 a higher APPoUrgcmg? send letters to the editor to I ■ J W W | AW ilk/ NO 54% gamecockopinions@hotmail.com —■ ■ ^ ^ 1 rW DON’T TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL 14% — IN OUR OPINION Don’t crawl under trains Trains are more than just a nuisance to students trying to fall asleep at night; they also hold up and pose a threat to students on their way to and from campus. Three railroad lines cross Columbia at sporadic times ranging from 3 a.m. to 5 p.m., and impatient students trying en route to and from class regularly.cross between, and sometimes crawl under, the cars. Crawling under or going between the ears of a stopped tram is a bad idea: It’s illegal, and students put themselves at risk of a $250 dollar ticket and gruesome death if the train lurches forward without warning. But there is no set schedule for stops, and the trains have a tendency to stay at a standstill for 45 minutes at a time. Many students walk home late at night from Five Points either tipsy or drunken, and there is no way to return to campus without crossing a track. There have not yet been any fatalities, but we should not have to wait for a tragedy before officials take action. ■ It might be impossible to determine exactly when the trains will stop along the tracks in Five Points, but a bridge is planned to remedy the problems caused by trains crossing Assembly Street. Some construction changes in Five Points, while not easy, might be the only realistic way to alleviate the situation and divert an accident. Students need to be informed. We should not have to wait for a tragedy before officials take action. Gamecock Quotables - “I think they felt like the hat was something they could be comfortable with it being on versus being on T-shirts or other clothing.” KEN CORBETT .ON THE TERM "COCKS’ BEING TAKEN OFF ALL USC MERCHANDISE EXCEPT HATS “Kids just want to run out to it — it’s bigger than life.” TOMMY SUGGS DESCRIBING THE APPEAL OF THE "2001" PIECE PLAYED AT THE BEGINNING OF USC GAMES “You felt in some ways as if you were on an island, in the midst of a big sea, not knowing which way things were going to go.” HENRIE MONTI ETH TREADWELL ON HIS EXPERIENCE AS ONE OF THE FIRST BLACK STUDENTS TO ATTEND USC “It really sucked because the football game was at 12:30 p.m., and since the power was out, and so my alarm didn’t go off, and I almost missed the game.” ZACH JOHNSTON REFERRING TO THE POWER OUTAGE ON SATURDAY GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockopinions@hotmail.com. ABOUT THE GAMECOCK Editor in Chief Charles Tomlinson Managing Editor Adam Beam News Editor Michael LaForgia Asst. News Editor Alexis Stratton Viewpoints Editor Gabrielle Sinclair The Mix Editor Meg Moore Sports Editor Brad Senkiw Asst. Sports Editor Wes Wolfe Photo Editor Morgan Ford Asst. Photo Editor Trisha Shadwell Head Page Designers Shawn Rourk, David Stagg Page Designers Justin Bajan, Samantha Hall, Staci Jordan Slot Copy Editors Amy Genoble.-Alyson Goff, Tricia Ridgway Copy Editors Mary Waters, Steven Va Haren Online Editor James Tolbert Public Affairs Kimberly Dressier CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. Editor in Chief: gamecockeditor@hotmail.com News: gamecockudesk@hotmail.com Viewpoints: gamecockopinions@hotmail.com The Mix: gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com Sports: gamecocksports@hotmail.com Public Affairs: gckpublicaffairs@hotmail.com . Online: www.dailygamecock.com Newsroom: 77.7-7726 Editor’s Office: 777-3914 STUDENT MEDIA Director Scott Lindenberg Faculty Adviser Erik Collins Creative Director Susan King Business Manager Carolyn Griffin Advertising Manager Sarah Scarborough Classified Manager Sherry F. Holmes Production Manager Amber Justice Creative Services Whitney Bridges, Robbie Burnett, Sean O’Meara Advertising Staff John Blackshire, Adam Bourgoin, Ben i Sinclair, Jesica Johnson, Ryan Gorman, Laytoya Hines The Gamecock is the editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carofina. It is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and nine times during the summer, with the exception of university holidays and exam periods. Opinions expressed in The Gamecock are those of the editors or author and not those of the University of South Carolina. The Board of Student Publications and Communications is the publisher of The Gamecock. The Department of Student Media is the newspaper's parent organization. The Gamecock is supported in part by student-activity fees. One free copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 each from the Department of Student Media. TO PLACE AN AD The Gamecock 1400 Greene St. Columbia, S.C. 29208 Advertising: 777-3888 Classified: 777-1184 Fax: 777-6482 woRicpuAcp o& Toxic FuMtf uMKep T°Moze cascs g CARTOON COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS RHA leaves us stranded KRISTEN GILMORE GAMECOCKOPINIONS@HOTMAIL.COM Housing’s new smoking policy is illogical. Housing has taken the liberty to enact a policy that prohibits smoking within 25 feet of any building. While perhaps a good idea, the reasons I have been giv en for it hold no water. If Housing is going to support its actions with lies in such a trivial manner as this, why should we trust it in de cisions for more important issues? I’ve been told cigarette smoke contributes to the persistent mold problem in most residence halls. While this sounds believable, its bases are wildly inaccurate. Mold growth is typically prompted by warmth, moisture and a sufficient amount of cellu lose-based nutrients, such as wood and paper building mate rials. Cigarette smoke contains predominantly carbon monox ide, which, though hurtful, is not anything mold can use to grow or sustain itself. In fact, carbon monoxide is ca pable of asphyxiating most life forms respiring aerobically, and cigarette smoke may kill some forms of mold in high concentra tions, Who knows? Point is, this reason for preventing smoking is invalid. Another reason is that Housing wants to establish a healthier liv ing environment for students who don’t smoke. While a valid goal, this prompts me to ask why this policy wasn’t enacted in the ’70s, when scientists discovered that smoking and good health don’t necessarily go hand in hand. I realize that, over time, cigarette smoke stains wallpaper, sticks to carpet and leaves a per manent stench in the air. But rooms need repainting around the same time smoke discol oration becomes visible. I recognize all students’ rights to health and clean air, and I sup port prohibiting smoking within building walls. But 25 feet from buildings? Why? We’ve been asked to keep our windows closed this year in response to mold is sues, and doors are rarely propped open. If healthy air in the dorm is the reason, then smoking outside should suffice. Most air-intake valves and vents are located at the tops of residence halls, and most balcony doors can be closed to pre vent smoke from floating into the building. A 25-foot distance from many buildings lands study-break smokers in the middle of the street, forcing them to wander farther or risk being hit by a car. This is a big deal when, for years, your primary social outlet has been your dorm’s front porch, where students congregate to talk, laugh, sing and, yes, smoke their little hearts out. Folks now stand in the small parking paddock before the build ing, dodging hastily when a care less driver pulls in to turn around without looking. Not exactly con ducive to a pleasant social area. If Housing is so concerned about our health, it should prove it. I would like to see the air-con ditioning systems Cloroxed and swept clean (the only real way to kill and remove mold), efficient and regular replacement of all air filters without begging 7-FIXX and maybe an iota of control in regard to the dusty construction work all over campus. There is no quick and easy fix for a problem in the works for decades, and placing smokers out in the rain does little to benefit this cause. Gilmore is a second-year theater student. IN YOUR OPINION USC places education secondary to looks The university has provided us with a new Strom Thurmond Fitness Center, a new Carolina Center, a remodeled Russell House with posh eating places, a Barnes and Noble-affiliated bookstore, wireless Web access on the Horseshoe, and lush, lux uriant patio furniture, booths, tables and chairs. Some would think, “yeah, it’s awesome,” but it’s not. Sure we have expensive new buildings, high-tech op portunities and more aesthetic places to dine, but is that what going to college is all about? What good is any of this stuff if you can’t take classes you need? Trying to get into classes this year was hectic. As soon as people dropped a course in high demand, their spots were in stantaneously filled. Because of budget cuts, the university could not afford to take on more professors to teach courses, dis couraging students — includ ing myself — who fear not be ing able to graduate in a time ly manner. What’s worse is that during all this turmoil and con fusion, the only support and advice given to students was to “keep watching VIP; maybe someone will drop.” I personal ly think that is ridiculous. Attending a university is not about how nice the dining fa cilities are or having as many different chic eating places as possible; it is about' learning and preparing for our careers. It is very disheartening when students’ educational needs are sacrificed for capitalistic modernity. Something is wrong with the system that dreadfully needs to be reme died. Yes, if is important to keep the campus properly maintained and orderly, but the remodeling that this uni versity has undergone to keep up with the. times is overkill. ALLISON PEELER FOURTH-YEAR STUDENT, COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM Newspaper lacks balanced viewpoints If nothing else, the reason I pick up my copy of The Gamecock every morning is to read the rubbish on the Viewpoints page that I know will invariably piss me off. Sure, I understand that in striving to do your part as a member of the media you are trying dutifully to position your opinions as far to the left as pos sible, but couldn’t you at least every once in a while offer something other than the radi cal liberal “ideas” you boast about every day? I mean, how many times will your columnists continue to use the hackneyed “God, the Greeks are too materialistic” complaint? If Rachal wants people to stop caring what she wears to class, then maybe she should stop caring what every one else wears to class or just shouldn’t sit next to the girl who spilled the whole bottle of perfume on her blouse. (Yeah, Rachal didn’t call out frat guys and sororities for dressing up, but similar accusations have been made in previous columns.) For the record, I’m an independent. I can’t wait to see what will be on tomorrow’s op-ed page. Being the anniversary of the 2001 terrorists attacks, I’m sure The Gamecock staff will see this as an opportune tiriw to criticize the Bush administra tion for the valiant efforts to pro tect us from the ramifications of Democratic inaction over the past 40 years, specifically in the 1990s. Unless, of course, in light of this letter to the editor, the In Our Opinion piece is hastily rewrit ten so that The Gamecock doesn’t look anti-American on the an niversary of the most tragic at tack on civilian citizens in the history of the world. JONATHAN HARDIN FIRST-YEAR STUDENT. COI.LEUE OF BUSINESS Send any letters to the editor to gamecockopinions @hotmail.com / Interested in writing for The Gamecock and gaining experience? Send an e-mail to gamecockeditor@ hotmail.com Submission Policy Letters to the editor should be less than 300 words and include name, phone number, professional title or year and major, if a student. E-mail letters to gamecockopinions@hotmail.com. Letters will be edited. Anonymous letters will not be published. Call the * newsroom at 777-7726 for more information. Tired of liberal bias in media RYAN HOLT GAMECOCKOPINIONS@HOTMAIL.COM Uninformed liberals should look at the facts. In an effort to combat the left wing lunacy written in newspa pers and aired on television late ly, I thought I’d say a few accurate words about President George W. Bush. Not a day goes by that I don’t read a misinformed opinion or watch an angry liberal rant and rave about failures in Iraq. Chief of these complaints is loss of life. In case, these maniacs need a reminder, we’re at war. And in a war, there is a signifi cant loss of life. We’ve lost fewer than 300 soldiers, however, in Iraq. During World War II, the United States lost tens of thou sands of men. I can’t remember i_;____11:__i.i:_ uccu mg uiij um, vcuimg 1 i unium Roosevelt a “miserable failure.” I would be happy to relay the positive things that have occurred in the nation we recently liberat ed. Raids have retrieved weapons and ammunition, hundreds of Saddam loyalists and terrorists have been captured or killed, the Iraqi Governing Council has been established, more than 90 percent of towns have local governments, the Iraqi army is being restored, and 60,000 Iraqi citizens are now in defense of Iraq. This week has been substantial regarding this topic. In addition to the president’s speech, nine Democratic presidential candi dates took part in the Congressional Black Caucus de bate Tuesday evening. And yesterday was the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. It’s hard to forget the unity that infiltrated America following the attacks. Not only did we rally as a nation, but also the majority of us stood by our Commander in Chief. Two years later, the country’s spirit seems much different. Whether it’s liberal mantra from my fellow contributors in the Viewpoints section or the tirades of Howard Dean and John Kerry, the information waves never cease to swell with criticisms of a great leader. Criticism of a world leader is neither unpatriotic nor trea sonous. By all means, if a presi dent’s policy is detrimental and in efficient, criticize incessantly. I do not take issue with criticism itself, but rather criticism that is weakly founded. If you refuse to be well informed about world events and merely wish to espouse partisan beliefs because it demeans those on the other side, keep the verbal sewage to yourself. Wool ot our nation s recent suc cess is visible via exploration of Iraq’s current status. Could Iraqis worship freely before the war? Could Iraqis speak their minds be fore the war? Could Iraqis write their opinions in newspapers be fore the war? Could Iraqis protest the government before the war? The answer to these questions is “no,” but today these actions are already taking place. If not for Bush and the folks who advise and follow him, Afghanistan would be under Taliban control. Osama bin Laden and al Qaida would have strongholds in Afghanistan. Uday Hussein would still be raping and killing university girls. Saddam would still be free to kill those who disagree with him. To deny that the president has made, caused, prompted, encour aged or achieved any success in Iraq is a reflection of a failure to explore the whole story. Disagreement among those who differ politically — not false ac cusations — is what keeps this country strong. —-Tf Holt is a first-year political science student