The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 15, 1973, Page Page 6, Image 6
Editorials
Student Government Not At Fault
Where does the apathy come from when student elections
roll around?
And why do only 3,000 students on a campus of 18,000
take interest enough to run down stairs in a. dorm or to
the Russell House after a class to cast a ballot?
A young man outside Russell House last night said he
voted, but his choices were Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck
--a write-in. He said he knew nothing about the candidates
and that none of them seemed to have much of a platform.
Earlier last night a girl en route to class said she did
not vote because she was tired of hearu. g the same promises
and getting the same results--nothing. She said it didn't
matter who won because they would all do essentially the
same thing.
How do these attitudes arise?
Well, sometimes it seems like Student Government isn't
doing much more than bickering among its own representa
tives. The more brazen governments may make accusations
against the administration, rather than simply negotiating
with them to the point where their eyeballs are about ready
to fall out. Some governments make proposals-and good
ones-like the ones this year for closing Green Street and
going coed, such as it is, with Bates West.
But most times., by the end of the year students feel like
they're in the same old rut. The ones who have been working
still feel totally powerless, and those who have not think
nothing has been accomplished.
Well, it's all a game. And truly, not much has been accom
plished because that is the way the rules are set up. The
students are given enough money-more than enough-to
play with during the year. It's such an impressive amount
that our elected officials hustle about trying to spend it
to the best of their advantage or the best of the student
body's advantage that they don't even realize how powerless
they are.
They are given a perfect run around all year long, and
at the end Student Government is at the same point on
the circle.
We've all been duped and shammed and shafted by the
setup and the system, and before too much can be done
about it another optimistic and idealistic government is
elected to start the circle again.
.Good luck to them.
Handcuff Requirement Bill Needed
A wise bill has been introduced in the South Carolina House
of Representatives. The legislation would require state highway
patrolmen and sheriff's officers to handcuff prisoners being trans
ported in patrol cars with special equipment for handcuffing
mounted in the rear seat.
The bill was prompted by the death of Patrolman Fulton H.
Anthony last Saturday. Anthony was shot from the rear seat en
route to Greenville County Jail by one of two prisoners arrested
for public drunkenness and brown bagging. The weapon alled
gedly was hidden in the murderer's boot. Just more than a year
ago, another South Carolina patrolman was shot during an arrest
when the prisoner reached over the front seat, pulled the officer's
pistol from the holster and fired it.
Both men would likely still be alive and well if the prisoners
had been handcuffed, and stricter search and arrest procedures
applied.
Under the bill sponsored by Rep. Gary Byrd, D-Darlington, an
officer who fails to handcuff prisoners would be subject to a fine
of $100 and suspension of his duties for 90 days.
Special equipment designed to confine the use of nands would
have to be installed in the rear seat section of patrol cars. The
proposed bill would take effect Jan. 1, 1974, so that law enforce
ment agencies would have enough time to have the equipment
installed. Leeway not to handcuff anyone wounded or when inhu
man is provided. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary
Committee.
The General Assembly has condemried Anthony's slaying in a
resolution introduced by Pickens and Greenville Counties' legis
lators. The resolution called the death''unnecessary and wanton"
as well as "tragic," and expressed sympathy to Anthony's wife,
ten-year-old daughter, other relatives and friends.
With approval of this resolution which stated that Anthony would
"long be remembered for his unselfish devotion to duty," the
General Assembly has made public its concern and feelings for
such an-unnecessary death. We ask that the legislators carefully
remember the unselfish devotion of all patrolmen by considering
and approving the bill so that other unnecessary deaths may be
avoided.
NOTE: A memorial fund has been established for Anthony
spearheaded by WFBC Television and Radio, Greenville. Dona
tions by check may be sent to the Anthony Memorial Fund in
care of the Bank of Travelers Rest or the Southern Bank and
Trust of Greenville.
Auton(
GUEST COLUMN
BY L. W. BROWN
COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM
Suppose the Gamecock were
to move off campus next fall,
renounce University support of
any kind and rely on advertising
and subscriptions to continue
publication. Would the fact of
its complete independence
from University control make
it a better newspaper?
Several campus newspapers
across the country think that
they can do a better job by being
completely independent. They
feel stifled by any sort of con
trol-direct or implied.
The arguments for and
against such a move seem to me
to come down to one basic prob
lem: the value and role of the
student newspaper on campus.
--Is it an historical record to
preserve campus events for
posterity?
--Is it a training ground for
journalism students?
--Should it reflect the political
and social views of the stu
dents? Faculty? Administra
tion?
-Should the campus news
paper be a "watchdog on gov
ernment" and a "marketplace
of ideas?"
I think that the campus news
paper should include all of the
above. That is, if it wants to
be a news paper. The value of
a campus newspaper lies in the
information it provides about
the activities of the institution
and the people that make up the
institution. If the newspaper is
in whole or in part supported by
Only 3,
BY BOB CRAFT
SG elections were held again
this year despite the heavy opposi
tion from the student-body through
the subtle use of widespread
apathy.
Not that this- deterred student
Government, elections are elec
tions and they must be held. Had
the student body rallied in protest,
a mounted a write-in campaign for
say, Uncle Wiggley or David Cas
sidy, the SG would have become
upset, but the masses simply
ignored the polls, as usual.
Not that that means there is no
lip service to the matter. It is quite
easy to flush a "Gee, ain't it awful,"
response from most anyone in Stu
dent Government.
However, the fact remains that
voter turnout was anything but
spectacular. An Article in Wednes
day's State newspaper carried the
figure 3,000.
3,000 out of 18,000, approximately
16 per cent of the Student Body
voted in Monday's elections and
although the count has not been
taken at this time, yesterday's run
off total will probably be far less.
The State article also said that
"according to a spokesman" that
this was about average, that 16 per
cent was "about average."
Average. For every hundred stu
dents, 84 did not vote. How can SGA
possibly state,then, as it does so
often, if not by w~ord, at least by
implication, that it represents the
entire Student Body?
Why did this 84 per cent not vote?
There are many reasons. First of
all, the prevailing feeling that stu
Sopinions
NN
student fees, then in all honesty
It must provide information of
interest to all students, not just
a few.
The campus newspaper
should also provide opinion.
After all, differences of opinion
are what makes the world prog
ress. But --- opinion must be
clearly labelled as such.
It Is in the area of the relation
ship between the paper and the
institution's governing author
ity that the concept of responsi
bility takes precedence.
The editor should be free to
criticize authority-but in a.
responsible manner. Likewise,
authority should realize that a
responsible campus newspaper
is an asset to the institution.
The editor must also realize
that the campus newspaper is
read by those outside the
institution and in a large sense
represents the institution to the
outside world. This is not to say
that the campus newspaper
i00 StudE
dent government is an elite, self
serving organization that per
petuates it self, no matter what.
That t tis more interested in seeing
that its members get choice basket
ball and football tickets than in the
needs of students. Some students
feel that SG is more interested in
the fringe benefits than in them.
They feel sometimeisthey are just
being used when they vote because
they see no changes while the
officers of SG rake in all the honors
and money.
Even when there is a split in .the
SG and the rebels vow they will set
up an alternate system, the students
still see no change.
On Sept. 10 of last year, five offi
cials of the student government res
igned their positions, three
senators, and two officers of
cabinet rank.
"We urge everybody not to vote
in the next election because their
vote is meaningless as student gov
ernment now exists," they said in
a joint statement issue at the time.
They went on to say that they would
set up an alternate system.
And yet, and yet two of those per
son who resigned ran in this elec
tion, one for Vice-president and one
for senate seat. As for the alternate
plan, well, we're still waiting.
Deeper than that, however, runs
the feeling that there is no power
vested in SG, that it is merely a con
sulting play-pretty for the Adminis
tration to use when and If It feels
like It. Even more, that the Adminis
tration really doesn't care a damn
what SG thinks, that they do it only
to be polite.
No later than last Friday, David
1A
>t Vital
should be merely a public rela
tions voice for the institution.
But irresponsibility has no
place in a campus newspaper,
or any other newspaper, just as
it has no place in any public
institution.
The campus newspaper, in
sum, is most valuable to the stu
dents and the institution when
it:
1. Keeps its readers fully and
fairly informed of activities and
happenings of students, faculty,
administration and others con
cerned with the institution.
2. Provides anoutlet for opin
ions from all sides, even though
they may be unpopular, but
labels them as opinion rather
than fact.
3. Constructively criticizes
editorially on matters affecting
the institution.
If a campus newspaper does
not do this then it has no busi
ness representing itself as a
campus newspaper. As long as
it is supported by fees from all
the students and tax money
from all citizens, it must not
become a mouthpiece for a par
ticular viewpoint but present all
viewpoints equitably.
If those who edit the news
paper feel that they are unduly
restricted, they have the option
of starting their own off
campus newspaper supported
entirely by subscriptions and
advertising. The consequent
student support or lack of sup
port might be the best way to
determine if, in fact, there is a
problem which cannot be solved
by responsible conduct alone.
,nts Vote
Spinazzolo the President of the SG
(not of the Student Body) said in a
press conference that SG "at USC
is inadequate and doesn't take care
of students," and called for its dis
solution. If the main man of SG
feels that way, how do you think the
average student feels. If it can't
be taken seriously by the President,
well who can?
Students also have little faith in
the election process at USC. Too
many stories of ballot stealing and
ballot box stuffing have been told
to make the students anything but
wary and a trifle cynical when SG
elections come around.
If SG was serious about fair elec
tions and wanted to assure the stu
dents of this, why not hire a firm
or accountants to oversee the elec
tions? Sure it would be expensive,
but if some student trust of SG could
be restored, wouldn't it be worth it?
But perhaps we are getting ahead
of oui'selves. If SG is an antiquated
hulk that should be jettisoned, why
isn't it? For one thing, there are
too many active people who support
it, that is the people who are reaping
the benefits from it, to ever really
be rid of it.
And so it goes. Every year, the
candidates are out, making safe pro
mises. Promises that they know
they wouldn't have the power to ful
fill.
And so, you have leaflets thrust
upon you faster than you can ball
them up and throw them away until
you'd like to scream what one
Carolina man mumbled In front of
the Russell House, "I don't want any
of that shit."