University of South Carolina Libraries
SOUND OFF ONLINE POLL Create message boards at Should the Visitor Center move www.dailygamecock.com or to McKissick Museum? send letters to the editor to 68% gamecockopinions@hotmail.com ^0 32% IN OUR OPINION Allegations hurt Greeks As the Greek-run USC blood drive draws to a close, news has surfaced of the suspension of USC’s chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon on drug use charges, underage drinking and fake IDs. This group’s actions aren’t going to do anything to help the already deeply rooted stereotype of Greek life on campus. Such activities go against everything fraternities Sigma Phi Epsilon’s actions aren’t going to do anything to help the already deeply rooted stereotype of Greek life on campus. should stand for. Underage drinking and drug use is a problem throughout campus, and the Office of Greek Life works to make sure USC fraternities and sororities hold themselves responsible for their members. The Gamecock runs stories throughout the year about the many positive activities fraternities and sororities take part in for USC and the community, whether it’s organizing the blood drive or fund raising for charities. Students shouldn’t jump to negative conclusions about Greeks because of the allegations surrounding Sigma Phi Epsilon. We are not advocating what the chapter did, however, and if they are found to be guilty, the members should be held accountable. It is this kind of story that tends to stick with people when it comes to Greek life, especially fraternities, and that serves to perpetuate the stereotypes Greeks have been working to combat. Gamecock Quotables “In the past, we’ve gotten carried away with the lighter fluid.” BRANDON SZMIDT TIGERBURN CONSTRUCTOR ON THE SPEED OFTHETIGERBURN “... I think the Greek community here at USC really has a negative stereotype associated with it, and this event helps to show that there are good things that come out of the Greek system.” RAY COMER CO-CHAIR OF THE 19TH ANNUAL USC BLOOD DRIVE EVENT COMMITTEE. ON THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BLOOD. “I feel I need to lead by example. If I don’t park there, I guarantee you no one else in the building will.-” ANDREW SORENSEN use PRESIDENT, ON CHOOSING TO ABANDON HIS RESERVED PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF THE OSBORNE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING “War photography exposes a necessary truth that the public deserves to see, that will continue for years to come.” SETH PETERSON FIRST-YEAR BUSINESS STUDENT, ON THE WORK OF PETER HOWE, WHO LECTURED AT THE RUSSELL HOUSE THEATER MONDAY GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS In her column Wednesday, Julie Cook should have been listed as an art history and political science student. The Gamecock regrets the error. 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 Head Page Designer Shawn Rourk Page Designers Justin Bajan, Staci Jordan. Philip Whitehe Slot Copy Editors Amy Genoble, Trrcia Ridgway, Mary Pinckr Waters Copy Editors Steven Van Haren, Jessica Foster Online Editor James Tolbert Public Affairs Kimberly Dressier CONTACT INFORMATION Offices on third floor of the Russell House. 4 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: 777-7726 Editor’s Office: 777-3914 5IUUtNI iVItUIA 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 ad Creative Services Whitney Bridges, Robbie Burkett, ey Sean O'Meara Advertising Staff John Blackshire, Adam Bourgoin, Ben Sinclair, Jesica Johnson, Ryan Gorman, Laytoya Hines I lie uomci/uor\ IS me editorially independent student newspaper of the University of South Carolina. 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 1400 Greene St. Columbia, S.C. 29208 MUVCIliaillg. / I I -jooo Classified: 777-1184 Fax: 777-6482 <fwownM CAWRO CARTOON COURTESY OF KRT CAMPUS Bursey is political prisoner JOEYOPPERMANN GAMECOCKOPINIONS@HOTMAIL.COM ' * ' V * . A case of ‘security’ versus free speech. A fight is brewing in our coun try these days, and believe it or not, Columbia has become one of the key battlegrounds. Last October, President Bush visited South Carolina to rally support for Republican candidates in the upcoming election. As sign waving party faithful waited to greet Air Force One at the Columbia Metorpolitan Airport, Brett Bursey and a group of protesters brandished signs de crying Bush’s Iraq policy. They were approached by airport police and later a Secret Service agent who informed them they’d have to relocate to the designated “free speech zone." Bursey replied, “I’m in it. The United States of America is a free-speech zone.” He was not without legal justi fication. In 1969, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the Columbia Metropolitan Airport was public property when they threw out a trespassing * charge levied on Bursey — while he attended a Nixon event under nearly identical circumstances. Court precedent notwithstand ing, Bursey was arrested for the audacious act of asserting his con stitutional rights by refusing to leave public property. He watched Air Force One land from the back of a Lexington County paddy wag on and spent the night in jail. Now, brought to you by U.S Attorney J. Strom Thurmond Jr. (whose dad pressured Tricky Dick into issuing deportation orders on political rocker and ex-B6atle John Lennon), the Justice Department has charged Bursey with violating the president’s re stricted security zone. I guess they’re worried he could have tak en out Air Force One with a sur face-to-air poster stick. Bursey could spend six months in prison. America is venturing into dan gerous territory when citizens ex pressing one political view are left unmolested while others are shuffled away like lepers or, worse than that, tossed in the clinker. For all the Justice Department’s sound and fury about presidential security, when a horde of frenzied Republicans are permitted in His Majesty’s presence but a few unarmed peaceniks are intimidated out of the way or into jail, it’s fairly ob vious what’s going on. Bursey posed a political, not physical, threat to President Bush, and dur ing last week’s trial, he was pros ecuted for a political crime. Prosecutors argued Bursey knowingly violated a restricted zone after being told to leave. Bursey and his lawyers contend ed he was unconstitutionally ar rested on public property sup ported by his own tax dollars. Institutional order vs. individual liberty. Unlimited “security” vs. free speech. Didn’t we fight and wjn a war about this in South Carolina 220 years ago? If Bursey’s case were an isolat ed incident, it would be less sinis ter. Unfortunately, the forces of Tory order are stabbing their bay onets into the backs of outspoken Patriots of all political stripes these days, silencing critical voic es in the name of security, and an often tepid, ratings-driven press ignores or marginalizes them. Bursey now awaits the judge’s decision, expected in two weeks. I’ll be lighting a candle for this un derdog soldier in the night, and I hope when the decision comes down, as Bob Dylan sang when Brett was a kid, we’ll gaze upon the chimes of freedom flashing. Oppermann is a fourth-year history student. IN YOUR OPINION Students should appreciate USC I feel upset that there are stu dents that have such negative feelings towards this universi ty. I, for one, love this school! So I feel that I have to apologize to these negative students for a couple things. If you’re not a freshman, you should know there are parking garages. I’m sorry if you are too lazy to ap ply or have bad luck getting one. I know it’s a pain toj)ark at the Coliseum, but I’m sorry that the university won’t let you have your own private parking space right outside your dorm. I’m also sorry that a fourth-year student needs to complain about the university taking away parking spaces that he knows he isn’t allowed to park in anyway. I’m sorry that you didn’t go to Midlands Tech, where you could park al most anywhere. I haven’t no ticed many freshmen com plaining though; maybe be cause they are too busy thank ing USC for even letting them bring their cars. I want to apologize that USC isn’t a small tech school in the middle of nowhere but is instead a large university trying to grow in a fairly-sized city. I’m sorry that Mr. Boyce feels USC doesn’t have quali ty teachers and that the uni versity doesn’t put students first. Yet USC has award-win ning professors and oh, that’s right, a brand new Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center, Greek village and food courts. The things I am not going to apologize for are those students like me who love this institu tion. Students who like a beau tiful campus, who don’t mind walking, and who applaud growth so more students can come and take your precious meter spaces. All you anti-USC people can simply get over yourselves! Go Cocks! LEVI BOUDREAU THIRD-YEAR CHEMISTRY STUDENT Criticizing school paper is healthy As it seems The Gamecock has become a forum for com plaining about complainers, I thought I would toss in my two cents’ worth that no one on this campus wants to read, but I will be arrogant enough to waste space to say. Do not worry. I will not hesi tate to be redundant or hypo critical either. As I read a' complaint from a complainer about a complainer, I thought there is nothing I Jiate more than people who prejudge people. My last encounter with this obnoxious person was while reading Whit Ashley’s complaint in reply to Bysshe Easton’s critique of The Gamecock. I felt insulted by Ashley’s ig norance of Easton’s vocabu lary. Really, how dare Easton actually use precise words to convey what he wanted to say? Clearly, “egregious” and “bad” mean the same thing and there exists two words for some arbi trary reason (wait maybe I should have written “meaning less” because “arbitrary” is an other one of those words that Ashley probably had to look up in the dictionary, and thus no college student knows). After assuming Easton is ar rogant because he has actually mastered the English language, Ashley judges Easton on his sec ond major when Ashley does not even have one. We should not listen to people like this because they have no college experience and are unproductive as unde clared first year students. I propose we solve this prob lem by putting all undeclared first-year students in boxes so they cannot bother the rest of us with their pointless babble. I will help by duct taping the boxes closed. We do not want them to es cape to Virginia and tell the gov ernor, Howard Dean, that USC ac tually lets people critique the school paper. So, Ashley and all you other people who have nothing better to do with your time, try to actually think before opening your mouth. (Of course this a sarcastic, satir ical piece, if you did not get it). ELIZABETH KELLER SECOND-YEAR POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? WE WANT TO HEAR IT. wmm? ! GAMECOCKOPINIONS ©HOTMAIL.COM , /SiKllD-[LUTT TOQJJK w@pi-m Kmam 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. Living it hip in a square world LAUREN ADAMS GAMECOCKOPINIONS@HOTMAIL.COM Let this guru of cool be your guide to mass appeal. On a scale of one to Lauren w»*h Lauren being the coolest you, possibly be, I think it’d be safe to say I’m firmly between a nine and a Lauren. This makes me an expert in bad-assedness, which in turn makes it my obligation to share this knowledge with the campus, nay, the world. Here are some help ful hints in optimizing your own personal mass appeal. Take notes. Vernacular. Language is crucial when introducing the badass with in. When speaking of locations, ab breviate abbreviate “abbr.” Take California or San Francisco: “I headed up to Cali to hang out with my bros from Frisco” is the appro priate usage. You’re basically go ing to want to talk like a business man from 1983. Say dated things like gnarly, radical and interface. People are impressed by what*’ don’t understand. Avoid u. *, names and settle instead for play ful nicknames like “dude,” “man” and “guy.” This gives you a jolly, whimsical air but reminds people that you don’t “do” names. If you can, try to assume an accent. I have settled on a delightful combination of British and Indian that is both musical and functional. Americans rl-irr fAroinrtnro nr oc urn lmnnorlit m. fer to them, “the needy, the poor and the sick.” That’s your ticket in, baby. Thank you, Lady Liberty. Clothing. Good news! Unhip is the new hip, so feel free to pull out the old acid wash. Your clothing makes a strong statement about what you’re wearing, so make them pop. Use clothing in un< ventional ways—think sock. or. tassels. Imagine, if you will, that Mister Rogers’ and Liberace’s closets exploded and you had to dress with the debris. People will \ applaud your daring and shower you with money and food. Wear clothing from any decade but the present — civil war uniforms, go go boots, and Cosby sweaters are your canvass. The world is your oyster, kids; wear it. Friends. You don’t want friends so much as posses/en tourages/homies. They should all dress alike and applaud every time you say something particularly deep: “President who? I had waf fles for breakfast.” Clap clap cJar>. Make sure they don’t clash ^ what you’re wearing (see clothing). Pets.'Don’t settle for a square pet, i.e. dog or cat. Get yourself something wacky like one of those monkeys with the blue behinds or an inchworm. You should take them with you to class and train them to take notes for you. You’ll be mayor of Coolville then — oh mo\ts\* r*_i..;n ~ Job. Who needs a job when you’re a badass? Being awesome will take up a lot of your time. You should really weigh your priori ties; I know you’ll make the right decision. However, if you abso lutely have to have a job, then make it is one where you can frown a lot (security guard, jani tor, a guy that gets paid to sit around and frown). Studies have shown that people are though r as more attractive when they ^ really pissed off. Make me proud. Welcome to Badass Town: Population: you. Friends, imagine how fabulous you’re going to be with your blue-keistered baboon and puff-painted sweatshirt. People will be tom between wanting to date you and be you. Practice your autograph now because it wont be long before you’re running for gov ernor of California. Try to use your powers for good and not evil. Adams is a third-year anthropology student.