Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Editorials Regaining faith Student government at USC has suffered a loss of credibility in the past several years, so much so that many people are questioning the need for student government at all here. Steve Hill, as the new SGA president, is faced with the job of finding some sort of a solution to this problem. In his State of the University speech before the Student Senate last Wednesday Hill showed that he is concerned with the loss of credibility. "We face the immense task of restoring student faith in our government," Hill said in his prepared speech. "And that faith can only be restored by a government which is open to student opinion and responsive to their needs." It appears as though Hill is open to suggestions on what student government should be doing and this probably is the key to improving student government credibility. For too long student government has been disassociated from most of the student body.. After the elections most representatives never went back to their constituency to find out what they wanted and often even the few people that voted in the elections forgot about student government. To combat this loss of communication Hill and the Student Senate should try to keep contact with the students. This could be accomplished by regular meetings between each senator and the people in his or her district, by door-to-door visits through dormitories by the senator and by student senate surveys. In this way the student government would be coming into contact with the average student on a regular basis, and finidng out what the students want accomplished. After the senate and the executive branch find out the feelings of the student body it will be up to the SGA to im plement these feelings into government action. The senate and Hill should lobby vigorously for the students' wishes. Then, after trying to put the students' wishes into law the senators and executive branch should report back to the students, on a personal basis if necessary, on what they have been able to accomplish. By using this three-step method-finding what the students want, trying to accomplish it and then reporting their actions the average student would come into frequent contact with the student representatives and government. And contact with all USC students is what SGA should strive for as it tries to regain its lost credibility. Congress' actions This week has been a key one for the United States as far as deciding how and when the fighting in Indochina will stop. Congress's stance against giving South Vietnam substantial military aid, which may be borne out officially before this paper's publication, makes a Communist victory imminent. President Ford had asked Congress to appropriate $722 million in emergency military aid. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee was to rule on that request by last night and before the vote every indication was that they would deny any military aid. On Tuesday the same committee approved $200 million in humanitarian aid for South Vietnam, with the added provision that the money could be used for military purposes to evacuate American citizens in South Vietnam. By its actions Congress is taking the following stands on the Vietnam issue: --Conceding a Communist military victory in South Viet nam. --Willing to accept the blame for a Communist victory from Ford and his followers. --Willing to give humanitarian aid--to buy clothing, food, medicine and other supplies--to South Vietnam, but no military aid. .Congress's stances on these points are the best for this situation. Ford reportedly really had no hope that Congress would grant the military aid, but made the request more or less as a formality to show that the executive branch was not abandoning South Vietnam. Even though Congress sees that the U.S. has no moral obligation to keep the Thieu Government in control of South Vietnam, it should, and apparently does, realize that there is an obligation to continue humanitarian aid to the South Vietnamese people and to United State's citizens who must evacuate South Vietnam. The Ga, ... WUSC, WUSC-AM radio should make sure to present both sides TO THE EDITOR I would like to know why WUSC AM radio would broadcast an atheist on "Student Forum" on Monday night (April 14) and not have an opposing view on hand to counter his statements. For more than an hour I listened to this warped mind harange the airwaves with this satanic philosophy, and the radio station stood by and awaited calls on this program from Christian listeners, of which there were few. I personally feel that if the station is going to broadcast such a controversial subject they should. have on hand a normal mind to' counter such a warped one. LOUIS LAURICH Was our reporter overwhelmed on Sat. by river water? TO THE EDITOR: Obviously Billy Cox of The Gamecock staff was overwhelmed with river water of Saturday, the day of the USC Raft Race. If not waterlogged, he was simply not at the event. The only facts that were correctly stated in his article were that there was a raft race, it was at least one hour late and there were four categories of racers. To start with, Student Union had things so boggled up that it is a wonder they made it to the race at all. - The supervision was of the lowest quality and they were fairly well inebriated themselves. The reason that people were "growling" stems from the fact that they were just downright disappointed. How would you feel if a basketball game was delayed an hour while you sat waiting? True, there was beer and fun, but most of the people at the race were there for the competition. The river was exciting as crews challenged each other for a race. The winners of the overall race, by the way, were Richard Ewing, Curt Brown, Ronnie Thrailkill, Van Horton and Mark Dremmer. They were called the Blue Barrel Gang, very'appropriately, by The State newspaper. The navy "boat" came in second place, so un fortunately they will not be drinking the keg with us. If the good were brought out in such events by the school newspaper maybe USC would have a more cohesive group of students. By urging support for school ac tivities that present competition the newsapenr would bette .. mecock river race, fi tray its role as a school paper. CURT BROWN Films should not have to justify existence at Carolina TO THE EDITOR: College is supposed to prepare and train us for our future. Universities are structured the way they are to give us "universal exposure" to various facets of life and subjects. Yet, in the University's eye, to teach subjects in an art form which touches more people . in short periods of time, which has in fluenced fashion, cultural fads and even ideas, which has exposed, proposed, taught and instructed, is superfluous. The way I see it, this University is of the opinion that schools like UCLA and New York's Columbia University are wasting their time. Film is nothing. Film courses are constantly at war for their survival in this school, constantly trying to justify their existence. Film is as much if not more an art than a business. It touches millions across the globe annually. Film is part of 20th century culture. USC upper echelons fight to ignore it. It would be nice if this University were as modern in thought and outlook as it claims. WILLIAM A. MESCE, JR. 'Waldo Pepper' is good, entertaining and worth seeing TO THE EDITOR: We are responding to Sam Ir THEGAM Edit JIM HE Managing E ditor STEVE PARKER News Editor Photography BILL PRATT MARl MASI Entertainment E ditor Production N CHUCKCROMER TERRYC1 The Gamecock welcomes letters from read subject and a maximum of 300 words. They m Pseudonyms or other aliases will not be used, circumstances warrant. To assist us in verify your mailing address and a telephone number right to edit all letters, not for content, but I Campus Opinion. Drawer A, USC, Columbia s mail ns, council vin's critical analysis of Robert Redford's latest movie, "The Great Waldo Pepper." It has been said that an article is effective if it receives a reaction-even a bad reaction. Sir, you mentioned that "Pep per" was entertaining, but not a good film. To be good, shouldn't a film entertain you? We certainly wouldn't think a film was good unless it entertained. Mr. Irvin, you said critics do not understand the female reaction to Redford's films. As a film critic in The Gamecock, you obviously are not acquainted with sex appeal. KATHY A. KELLEY CAROL M. OWNBEY Council to discuss The Gamecock's role in campus community TO THE READERS: Just what should the role of the The Gamecock be? Should it serve as a watchdog over student government and over ad ministration affairs? Should it serve merely as a vehicle for displaying news and entertainment events to the Carolina community? Has The Gamecock been per forming these roles and has it been performing them well are questions the paper's editors would like to have answered during Monday afternoon's press council at 2 p.m. in the Russell House Theatre. And the editors, in addition to gaining this feedback, would also like to answer any questions that the Carolina public might have concerning the way the student funded paper covers and displays the news. All students, faculty and staff of the University are encouraged to attend and participate. THE EDITORS ZECOCK Advertising Manager ART FRANK E ditor Sports Editor :NG PETE FEHELEY anager Copy Desk Chief 30N FRANK DELOACHE ers. Letters should be limitedJ to a single ust be signed with the Writer's true name. but the writer's name Will be withheld if ing the identity of writers, p!ease include where you can be reachedJ. We reserve the o meet our space limitations. Address: