Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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JIM FARRELL EDITOR LUCRETIA JONES DAVE LUNDGREN MANAGING ED AD. MNGR. EDITORIALS Too quick to condemn And so Blot walked about the student population of USC for as long as one day and felt that. he knew enough to condemn the whole of the Carolina Community. It seems that this Blot is an anonymous writer for the Clemson Tiger newspaper, which may not be such a bad idea. When you can come up with a comparison of Clemson and Carolina, or "the University,'" as he mentioned it is called, then asylum would be very appropriate. This editorial is not for the purpose of condemning Clemson because that would be an ignorant, rash decision. It is, however, for the purpose of questioning the credibility of the writer and the newspaper that would print such thrumped up heresay.. In this article, "Memo to the Outlanders," printed in the Sept. 10 issue of the Clemson Tiger, Blot proceeds to knock the administration, the student government at USC and the different bureaucratic posts at USC. Now, we all know that there are many changes that could be made at this institution and any institution that includes some 20,000 persons in adninistration, faculty, staff and student population. To deny this would be to say that we are blind. But how can one person in one day decide that the president of this university is incompetent, that the bureaucrats are just a few power hungry students with designs for the future and that the editor of the Gamecock is intimidated by the University administration? We congratuliate anyone who can do this wiih viable facts. Unfortunately, this has still not been done. The use of quotes attributed to various people throughout the story are very questionable. The Gamecock was misquoted at one point in a discussion of the May Riots of 1970. In another instance, the quote that the editor might feel it dangerous to cover controversial events was taken completely out of context. There was a discussion of "yellow journalism" and we feel that perhaps the author of this piece might go back to his books on the subject and try to check himself on the issue. Perhaps this author might also check into the real workings of a university the size of USC. There is a great need on this campus and others for a student government which has certain powers that are not just token respon sibilities. Evidently, the author knows someone that had some of these responsibilities at Clemson, but felt that unless he was sitting in the big office in the Administration building, he wasn't given enougn power. There have~ oeen many gooa cnednges made on this campus due to the work of the bureacrats in the student positions. For an article of this nature the author should have spent about a year just studying the operations of this University. The article mentions that PresIdent Jones is "of mediocre quality as far as college presidents go--and he is quite aware of who the palace guards are." We are all aware of who the place guards are and thIs institution as well as any state instItution has its guards. As far as the students with the future in mind, why would you be in school if you didn't have a goal of some sort, whether it .be political, social, economic or otherwise. Sympathy is felt for the man or woman in college who hasn't a reason for being there. It's a shame to waste everyone's time and effort. The need for radical forces in order to initiate change is important, but a warning to Clemson: watch for this type of irrationality. If this is indicative of the radical leaders of ygr cutqjpUs ihen incomprehensible decisions will a made with no real constructive end. Today revisited Ion BY JOHN GASH Associate Editor Last year a member of a campus political group approached this columnist and asked him to "propagandize'' for the group's ideology. At first, this columnist was confused for he had always thought--naively, he must admit now--that ideology was not for mulated through mass propagandization but through individual recognition of cause and action.. Then this columnist became angry--angry because group politic had degenerated to such a state. Even worse was what followed: more members demanded to know why this columnist had found much to have second thoughts about when he critiqued the ideology. If these incidents had been isolated, maybe all would have been forgotten but that was not the case. More and more, the wings of the political spectrum accept propagandized dogma as scrip ture. Lettei Athletic codes. obsolete MR. FARRELL: I am writing this partially as a protest and partially as an inquiry to the present rules and codes that apply to the appearance of university athletes. The Gamecock athlete is sup posed to have short hair, side burns only as far down on the face as the bottom of the ear lobe, and no facial hair. This policy Is so outdated that future generations will look back ~~on these rules as quite trivial and irrelevant. Universities have changed their policies to let the students control their own appearance, thus treating the student athletes much more maturely and more like adults. If the length of hair on the head and facial hair doesn't get in the way of the particular sport In which the student takes part and if it is kept clean - why, if this Is such a hindrance, does the Army let its men grow mustaches and the Navy let their men grow beards? Although this next point is very redundant to other arguments of the same topic, it is of interest to ask the question, why did 'so many prominent men, such as George Washington, Jesus Christ and many others wear their hair long and be accepted? Becanuse society accepted this behavior? Society is again accepting this behavior, but the athletic depart ment hasn't seemed to realize this fact. I can see the other side of the argument, which would profess that because the people of South Carolina are on the conservative side and they are the ones who support the athletic department, the athletes should conform to their liking. If these supporters of our athletic department can't accept changes In society, even If those changes wouldn't hurt, hinder, or conflict with the certain activity of a major program, then I ,feel sorry for those certain In dividuals. To support the athletic program sco wasr It's ironic, though, because such degeneration has been prophesized. The best palmist, as it is, was Eugene Ionesco. In his book "Rhinoceros," a play which deals with the transfiguration of townspeople into rhinoceroses, Ionesco wrote a commentary that so aptly applies to today's social and political situation. What the play essentially said was that man succumbs to movements because he is a animal which charges straight forward like the rhinoceros--and asks not what for. Ionesco has said that this was the way it was with the Nazi movement in the late thirties. He and a group of friends had secretly met and denounced the Nazis, but slowly until all but three or four were left, members would leave the group. One member would say something like, "Maybe they (the Nazis) are right about the Jews" and Ionesco knew that it wouldn't be long before the group had lost the member to the Nazis. lonesco rs to the( in anyway at this university is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. But, I believe it would be supported much more by a greater number of people (students especially) if the athletes were treated more like adults. The athletic department at this university is one of the best and most efficient programs in the country. Without some of the trivial "hang-ups" that they are still clinging onto, it would be even better. NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST Compassion may be answer MR. FARRELL: A cirem-ment on the Attfia Prin! 'ot. My initial emotion concerning this riot was one of complete disdain for the prisoners. I felt that a machine-gun and a few firing squads would not have been too harsh. The ensuing slaughter would have been well deserved. The problem of the hostages was a variable factor as long as they were alive, but my feelings tended to negate their presence. I have taken second look into this situation and can honestly question the "system" that would produce men who chose revolt and death over existence. Recantlng of my first thoughts, I began to evaluate the persons involved and their framework of Interaction. It is evident that the prisoners were subjected to Intolerable conditions beyond comprehension by an outsider. It is also evident that the prisoners did not riot everywhere and at the same time--only Attica. The. typical accusation of an outside agitator has been programmed into our minds by the local newspapers. I can not accept the "agitator" concept. My conclusion has been attained slowly. First of all, I do not blame the "system" as it may refer to the institution of prisons. I blame completely and totally the "system" of each indtividual empncnee at ~Attica Prison. Te ight also says that he sees that hap pening today. He says that it is happening among the New Left. This type of acceptance is not bad because the movement is wrong but because so many members follow without questioning. Ionesco points the finger at the left because it is the dominant movement, but it has to be ex tended to the right because both movements unfailingly fall in line. Now, lonesco says he has used the wrong animal in the analogy; it should have been the sheep. A remedy to the situation is available in the form of the in dividual and his rejection of blind faith. In "Rhinoceros," this person was Berenger, who, after the whole town had turned into Rhinoceroses, cried out, "I'm the last man left, and I'm staying that way until the end. I'm not capitulating!" Thus, self-identity and realization of the issue at hand are not to be sacrificed for conformity. !ditor general hired help, the jailers, and the administrators all contributed to the riot. It was the individual "system" of each person working in the prison that prompted men to rebel. Their "system" of human kindness and decency was the flaw. It is the hard-of-heart system that must change. I could be a jailer and show my love and compassion for my brother. Maybe this compassion, if practiced by the helpers, jailers, and ad ministrators, could have diverted the rioting- inside the prison and inside the men. This answer may seem all too easy. It is not naive tb suggest this I as a possible solution - maybe too idealistic. The responsibility is with each individual involved. I do realize why the prisoners are where they are. I do realize the conditions of prisons and their problems. I do not propose an answer to the seemingly innate failure of the prisensytem.aY an institution. I only offer the ex pression of human compassion as an ointment to a gaping wound in America:. Watch how the Congressmen jump on the bandwagon now. See how many say that they "just knew something was going to happen." Too bad that they did not say that three weeks ago. JAMES V. PARKER, JR. Wanted, hunted student MR. FARRELL: In 30 days I will be a wanted man. A warrant will have been issued officially charging me with my offense. I will be hunted down and I will be made to pay for my crime. I am one of those un fortunates, those people who live in the shadowy world that few people dare to speak of. When I am finally caught, I will get no trial, no chance to defend myself, because my act is in defensible. My crime was that I failded to register my car with the Campus police. I compounded this error by not studying the Traffic and Parking Igulations which the (oninuedt on naEa -)