The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 18, 1969, Page Page Two, Image 2
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Tuesday, February 18, 1969 - Page Two Columbia, South Carolina
A Casualty,
Not A Fatal'ty
Friday the Carolina campus suffered its first casualty
of the racial war that has continued in the South for almost
100 years. Like the conflict between the eastern and western
powers, it is a cold war - one of nerves and tension, and it
constantly threatens to erupt into belligerency.
The incidents Friday, which very nearly turned into open
conflict, were inevitable. They were signs of the great gap
between the blacks and whites of our community. The blacks
are frustrated and angry, and the whites are scared and
proud. These two forces will come into open conflict even
tually unless there is some sober thought given to the situ
ation on campus.
The campus situation is far better than that of most of
the state and the rest of the South, but it is still far from
what it should be, considering Carolina's place as the leading
institution of higher learning in the state.
We accept mathematical axioms and chemical formulae,
but we fail to relate our learning to our social environment.
We prove that the best way to do anything is to do it to
gether, but we can't accept others into our society because
theirs is a different color. We derrogate and torment others
out of shame.
Yes, the clash was inevitable. There did not have to be
an issue over "Dixie." It might be good that it has come
and we have survived it -we have come through unscathed.
In that case we could thank the many "student leaders" who
helped to incite it with their constant bantering of the
"fight song" of a long-dead school of thought. Such "re
sponsibility" in student leadership is a comfort to those
who have resisted giving students a greater hand in the
running of the schools of our nation.
The situation of the campus, however, is no better for
the Friday incidents if we do not stop to take a long look
at the state of affairs we are living in. If we cannot recog
nize our brethren as our equals and try our best to accept
them, we can look for trouble in the future.
Just as our forefathers resorted to violence two hundred
years ago when they were the victims of government and
not the participants, so will these people one day find that
their only redress against inequity and suppression is war.
Here on campus we must meet our brother and work out
our differences peacefully or neither of us will escape trag
edy. Maybe there is someone who has the authority and the
willingness to get these two groups together and try to find
a way to avoid tragedy.
Old Rivalry,
New Friend
It was the North-South Doubleheader and fans at Char
lotte Coliseum were in for a few surprises. Carolina's Game
cocks shocked UNC's second-ranked basketball team to the
cheering of Clemson and Carolina fans alike. Saturday night
the Clemson pep band, wearing Go-Gamecock hats, played
the Carolina fight song. And some Carolina fans were even
seen singing Tiger Rag.
It was North vesus South in Charlotte and old rivalries
seemed secondary in the fever of the moment. When part
of the Gamecock band was unable to reach the Coliseum be
cause of bus trouble, the Clemson band stepped in and the
strains of "Hey, let's give a cheer . . ." still heralded the
Gamecocks' second win, this time over N. C. State. It was
North versus South and Clemson fans proved they can cheer
with the best of them.
- HARE
Founded Jan. 30. 1903 with Robert Elliott Gonzales as the first editor, The Game.
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Mike Krochmalny
ASSOCIATE EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER
Mary Jane Benston Jack Padgett
MANAGING EDITOR ClStp
ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Ji.anaae
NEWS EDITOR .KnHr
SPORTS EDITORJmHae
ASST. NEWS EDITOR Fred Monk, DnaShl,EdeCe
ASST. SPORTS EDITORDinCapol
FACULTY EDITOR SsnRs
SOCIAL AFFAIRS EDITORShryhay
CHIEF OF REPORTERSRoleWer
CHIEF P'IOTOGRAPHERWarnudo
ADVL'RTISING MANAGERChlsAlxne
ASST. ADVERTISING MANAGER iob lt
CIRCULTIONMNAGERCabrnaStepp
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ew a lrd n e er, C tan Sl er e c ton e.v e dy ten, stryFr an e s . M ar C T Res n
dale Joe Usry Rdlph White, Ala Winters, Alyce Youman, Jan Surratt, L.ynn Ring.
'Dixie'
'Beloi
Dear Mr. Kroehmalny:
It is with great displeasure
and grief that I am writing this
letter but I believe this matter
'AWARE's
d 9
Idiocy
Dear Mr. Krochmainy:
Concerning the recent issue
that has hit Carolina, AWARE's
desecration of the Confederate
flag has made pubic the organi
zation's stupidity and idiocy. Be
cause of their "open-minded
ness," AWARE has branded the
Gamecocks' symbol of rough and
readiness and will to win as an
element of backwardness, segre
gation, and rebellion that should
be abolished and burned.
Are t h e a e self-proclaimed
demi-gods who are not even
"aware" of themselves capable
of substantiating their condem
nation of the Confederate flag
concerning its pertinence to our
University? Due to their "open
mindedness," t h e s e misplaced
nonconforming conformists have
ruffled the feathers of the stu
dent body and are doomed as an
organization unless serious retri
bution on their part is made.
Burning the Confederate flag
is not only spitting in the face
of the University, but also com
mitting a serious offense against
the state -- two good reasons for
the discontinuance of AWARE
and any other organization who
desecrates our symbolic flag and
the pride of our University.
DANIEL E. TAYLOR
A Sta
'The Charg4
(With apologiee to Alfred, Lord
Tennysvon)
1
Half a brain, half a brain,
Half a brain had they,
All in the valley of Stupidity
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward the AWARE group!
Burn up the flags!" they cried.
Into the valley of Stupidity
Rode the six hundred.
2
"Forward, the AWARE group!"
Was there a grain of sense ?
Not that the members knew
Hut violence was recompense.
Theirs not to make reply,
Thei1-s not to reason why,
Theirs but to scream and cry.
Into the valley of Stupidity
Rode the six hundred.
3
Powder keg to right of them,
Dynamite to left of them,
We can give your organisati
Send The. Gamecock the
What's up-.
What organization...-.
When'
Where--_ _
Who can we get further info fr
ved By
requires immediate attention.
Upon reading the headlines of
the Feb.- 11 Gamecock, I was
shocked by the possibility of the
banning of the song "Dixie."
"Dixie" was written by Dan
Emmet, a native Ohioan who
wrote the song after joining a
Negro minstrel company.
According to the Encyclopedia
Britannica, "Dixie" was created
a a "hooray" song for the com
pany's show. Emmet got the idea
from strolling showmen who on
cold, dreary days in New York
would say, "I wish I was in
Dixie Land." The song is be
loved by the entire nation.
It is apparent by the crowds
that fill the Coliseum during the
basketball games that "Dixie" is
Other
Offenses
Dear Mr. Krochmalny:
If we do away with "Dixie,"
let's also abolish the playing of
the national anthem.
After all, it (the national an
them) could possibly offend the
Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Ital
ians, Lebanese, or other such
MINORITY groups on campus.
ROBERT E. WERTZ III
TOM YARBOROUGH
WAYNE WINGATE
HARTFUL MIMS
101
tement Of Pri
e Of The Ligi
Southerners in front of them
Needing little spark;
Stormed a twith curse and yell,
Eyes closed they rode andl well,
Stirring up a lethargic campus,
Making it a mature man's hell.
Thus rode the six hundred.
4
Sparked all their matches bare,
Sparked as they caught in air
Igniting all the anger there,
Acting irrationally, while
All the world wondiered.
Caught in a blood-red smoke
Feeble minds cracked andI broke;
Black man andi white
Reeled from the savage stroke
Shattered and sundered.
5
Dixie to right of them.
Yankees to left of them,
Campus cops behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Boredom had faded fast,
Hippies and Grits had fought at
last,
Racial peace was a thing of the
past,
on better coverage . . [
...if you help us.
info on your next activity.[
__ _ _ _ _ __ _ __m
The E
received with strong enthusiasm.
The song adds color and is taken
in a "hooray" state of mind and
certainly does not offend normal
sensibilities.
A democratic society is one
which upholds the interests of
the majority while respecting
and listening to the beliefs of the
minority. Now I ask you, do the
majority of the students at the
USC basketball games disap
prove of the playing of "Dixie"?
The Association of Afro-Amer
ican Students requested the ban
of the playing of "Dixie" be
'Paranoic I
Dear Mr. Krochmalny:
The recent request of the As
sociation of Afro-American Stu
dents to ban "Dixie" and the
Confederate flag appears to be a
good example of paranoic dis
position.
I admit that at one time these
symbols stood for ideas and in
stitutions regarded very unfavor
able today, but just like the be
liefs of the )eople have changed,
so have the meaning of these
symbols. For example, what tune
can be more appropriate to the
spirit of a sporting event than
"Dixie"?
Concerning the flag, I cannot
find an excuse for it, but I will
object to the proposal on the
grounds that the flag, and the
other symbols do not bring to my
mind the attributes claimed by
the Association of Afro-American
Staff Photo by Ralph Jarrells
wciple
it- Headed'
What in God's name for.
Out of the caves of apathy,
Violence made its way,
Out with the six hundredi.
6
When can their glory fade ?
0 the trouble that they madie!
All the world wondered.
Honor the fight they made!
Honor the Idiot Brigade,
Noble six hundIred!
-MIKE THOMAS
Filmsed On Ca.
University
Carolina . ...
and Durham...
PITY POOR PAXTI
...just how much I
can a young man
stand?
THE
3rd WEEK * 1:40 --
HELD OVER 5:20 -7:10
Starting March 1'
Seat Engagement
Winter" . . . Ticets Go I
:ntire
cause the song offends normal
sensibilities, but is burning a
flag sensible?
If the destruction of the "Con
federate Flag" is sensible, then
it is against the South Carolina
state law. When laws are broken
because of a misconception by a
radical minority group whose
presence thus far has only been
to stir up racial dissension, then
the basis of a democratic society
has been destroyed.
I sincerely believe that the
banning of "Dixie" and the pres
ence of the Confederate flag will
)isposition
Students. This makes me think
that the majority of the people
do not react to the symbols for
the alleged reasons, but react to
them as meaningless symbols
that they like for the symbols'
sake, as I do, andi that the al
leged reasons of the symbols are
only real in the minds of the
protestors. Only the voices of the
protestors are a reminder of the
symbols' past meaning.
What factor lies under these
protestors that makes them take
such a course? Is it some hidden
hate or bitterness? Are they un
able to look at the world without
finding enemies everywhere and
in everything? Or are they look
ing for a scapegoat to the real
problem they just can't lick?
Be what it may, the problem
seems to lie within the protestors
themselves. Their alleged higher
ideals, when viewed in connection
with everything else they say
and do, appears to be a thin
mask covering the deplorable
truth behind.
GONZALO LEON
'Against Th
Dear Mr. Krochnalny:
I know you have received many
letters concerning the request by
the Association of Afro-Ameri
can Students to ban the Confed
crate flag and the playing of
"Dixie" on University property.
I know these letters have covered -
many personal beliefs against
granting their request and I hope
that you give this one a little
consideration, too.
To begin with, I live in the
city where the War Between the
States originated with the firing
on Fort Sumter. In Charleston,
the Confederate flag andl "Dixie"
are held in high esteem. We still
respect the flag, it ranks in es
teem only behind the American
flag andl the State flag.
There are three things I abso
lutely refuse to give up: my love
for the United States, my respect
for the State of South Carolina
and my heritage of the Sou'h
andl the Confederacy! I am
against the banning of the Con
federate flag and "D)ixie" from
the University.
I have also noticed at a few
of our home games, esp)ecially
those who have Negroes on the
opplosing team, several of the
Negroes attending USC stood up)
and1 clapped for the opposing
team. I feel if these people are
not enough a part of the Uni
versity to give their team all
their support, theun they are not
enough a part of the University
to request the Confederate flag
upus At The
Of North
At Chapel Hill
)N OUIGLEY
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3:30 A A E
$_ Fbuusqg
2 . Reserve
"THE LION IN
On Salae m Sun. Feb 2
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only create a situation which will
inevitably lead to greater racial
strife.
ROBERT L. PRATT
A Letter
To The
President
Dear Dr. Jones,
I have learned from press re
ports that demands have been
made to ban the Confederate
flag and "Dixie" from the USC
campus. If these demands are
yielded to in any manner, I, as
an alumnus, will wi hhold my
personal financial support from
the University.
It is imperative that the USC
administration not join certain
other schools in kowtowing to a
miserable handful of assorted un
washed, furctionally illiterate
and thoroughly mixed-up indi
viduals, who would attempt to
have the majority of students
and faculty live by the desires of
the minority. This is sheer non
sense and should not be tolerated
for an instant.
I urge you, Dr. Jones, andi the
faculty and trustees to expel im
mediately any student or group
of students, black or white, who
undertake to create disruptions
on the Carolina campus.
I would also suggest that such
groups as AWARE, Students for
a Democratic Society, and united
black students, r a t h e r than
"Dixie" and the Stars and Bars,
he excluded from the University
community.
Sincerely,
JOHN T. LOTTICH
Class of '66
e Banning'
and "Dixie" be taken away from
those who still respect them.
I hope students who feel the
same will stand up and be no
ticed and request the Confederate
flag and "Dixie" not be banned.
JIM McDANIEL
The
Blossomn
Shop
FLO)RISTS
Devino and Saluda