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Viewpoints What you sr By WAYNE BROOKS Opinion Page Editor It seems that in the past, The Gamecock staff, both collectively and as individuals, have had grave misunderstandings with many students, faculty members and administrators. Sometimes we were at fault, sometimes others were at fault, and sometimes both were the case. We would like to start this semester with a clean slate. But first of all, it is necessary that we make it known where we stand. On many occasions, we have been given reason to believe that many students, faculty and administrators do not undprstand thp niirnosp of a student newspaper, nor newspapers in general. Thus, we hope that we may be able to prevent future misunderstandings by taking this time to make our rtnnnro 1 rocnnncihilitioc Irnmun n oil UI I vopv/lltjlk/llliivo IVIIW v Y A 1 VV7 Ull . To state it simply, the purpose of a student newspaper is to inform and entertain its readers and to perform a watchdog function for both studentcontrolled and university-controlled bodies whose decisions affect the general welfare of the student body and the university as a whole. We owe it to our readers to fulfill these duties with utmost efficiency, and we shall make an earnest, continuous effort to do just that. Despite our pledge to uphold the highest standards of journalism, we will still make mistakes. We exColumn Readers can ex By WAYNE BROOKS Art Linkletter hav Opinion Page Editor its enactment, servative M ?4 ... 1 J it wuuiu cuine as no surprise decriminalized 11 to me that there are some Marijuana has be people on this campus who socially acceptabh would prefer that I not hold the past few years. On , position of Opinion Page matters, one could Editor. I've been called a lot of as a fiscal conserv names ? liberal, con- motivates me t( frmiorciul onon i?i/<inol Dn* ? viv> vt uiui, vtvii uviivui. UUl JJUSIliUIIS Ull lliu&l like most labels, they show abhorrance of th little effort made for com- human and natura prehension on the part of those Traditional labels who use them. The facets of applied to me, and anv nprsnnalilu oro r>?n?\ln < mj jf-v. UWI.M.IVJ MI V/ U1VV1 OU pCUpiC OV.Vl\ IU HI It, and seldom compose that on all issues and r which deserves often-used the easy way out i labels. There are some people meaningless label who think they know me, but The Gamecock know very little about me. received a certaii Thus, I find this time ap- criticism and it propriate to clarify certain We can't alwi inings about myself in order everybody. But < that readers may get a general certain interest gr idea of what to expect from the has continued for editorial page this semester. The groups to whi< Friends have often called me USC's fraternal 01 a person with many causes. I The complaint I admit that I have worked for most often is rillitfP n fetus nu IICOC Kilt nnn vjv*?vx> M tvvf vuuovo, MUV U1IC viuiiiixia:r Id ClIIll would be inaccurate to assume Needless to say, that my causes have always bothers me so; been liberal (or radical, for seems that no one that matter). Even the cause attempted to un< ior wnicn most people best reason that ther know me, the misunderstandir decriminalization of what our misun marijuana, (I am board concerns. I hav< chairman of the USC chapter specific criticisn of the National Organization make the first mc for the Reform of Marijuana that any studc ? T \ 1 !~ i -- - -? uawa; can iiu lunger w con- memoer or aamn sidered a liberal issue. James has a legitimat Kilpatrick, Ann Landers, and about The Gi i lould expect a pect to make mistakes. Even The New York Times o makes them. But two wrongs don't make a right, r Mictolroc aro inovpncnhln Rnf ttimr oro dninrt (a Kn ? IVAIOVMIWU Ml V (I1V AV, UtJU M1V/. JJUV VI IV/J Ml V gVIUg IV |1 made both from the top of our staff to the bottom. f< Our reporters are trying to prepare themselves for a jobs in the real world, and with time, patience, and a lot of work, they can make it. But many of them have much to learn. When they make mistakes, they need r to be told, and sometimes scolded. Sometimes we p will not know when mistakes are made. Thus, ; readers should bring it to our attention if they are i misquoted or if factual errors are made. It is un- e fortunate when readers assume that The Gamecock < staff, as a whole, is irresponsible because errors i have been made by one reporter. I can assure you | that is not the case. One reporter's mistakes should r nnf hp n rpflwHnn nf thp pntiro ctaff nHV-imirrV-i uio Hn ?.WV MV, W 4 W.^VV.X/t. v V..VHV > "V uv 23 emphasize to our reporters that a reader's per- c ception of a newspaper as a whole is often based on c one bad experience he has had with a reporter. When f retractions are necessary, and often they are, we will a make them. Don't hesitate to inform us when a h retraction is in order. ? a..m n ? ? vjui pi unary i eapuiimuuuy u? iu iniumi uw general public of all events on this campus that affect their daily lives. It is not to promote the interests of i special groups or individuals, whether they are i students, faculty or administrators. If we can per- 1 form both functions simultaneously, it is in order, but pvts v.i vui u111 b y e called for welcome to visit our office to systems v and con- discuss his complaint with us. g?vei\ninS i o o i r< r< ? r\ rv i Hno'c nnmnloitif m otr Kn urnl 1 tO UnQCrStB Iddlddl O VUllipiUillt lilUJ UU VYV^II" ., || . last year, founded, and then again, a!v .an come more maybe it isn't. One will find no Paftlcul^r j during the solutions if he doesn't use the univ<rrslly economical proper channels that are made cerlain 31 classify me available to him. concern to native. What Some people have even i talff mv aonispd mp of hpintJ anti-frat Siaeraule i issues is my Not so. It will probably sur- W1 . *?' e waste of prise some people to know that ,rn.? j il resources, my interest and involvement in f ^ a i cannot be student government began in l<Jster a &1* I prefer that the spring of 1976 when a friend a . ierstand me of mine and I campaigned for a .r r. . r . n i criticism. ioi settle lor mi tvappa rsi namea bod ?y~' n applying a Knudsen, who was endorsed by timef 10 . the Inter-Fraternity Council cjjwtructr has always that year. Knudsen didn't win, w"enever 1 amount of but he won a majority of votes m always will, in only two voting districts ? lys please his own, McBryde, and Maxcy- y? ?riHf?icm hv Thnrnwpll mv hnmp t*?rritnrv "'i L-..V.V.U... "J , ...j - - J . _ W oups at USC It might also interest many X. 3 a long time, fraternity members who think ;h I refer are they have been slighted in rganizauons. terms 01 vjrainecocK coverage have heard (another frequent complaint) that The that it was I who, as news ^ frat. Not so. editor, decided that an in-depth this matter study of fraternities and mewhat. It sororities be conducted this as of yet has summer in our July 28, 1977 Co? ierstand the issue. My reason? I felt that e is such a there were too many nArl,n . . . ' Photogr lg or even misconceptions about derstanding fraternities and sororities and 5 heard few that they needed to be more the game ns. Let me thoroughly understood. *ubi#ct?wi >ve by saying Since I began as a reporter at ;nt, faculty The Gamecock in the summer voorm.mn nistratnr whn of 1976. I have made it mv , e complaint business to know who certain I U5C- Colu,T imecock is people are, how certain v nly in realizing and upholding our primary esponsibility to the public. Too often student ewspapers are perceived as public relations arms ar the universities they serve. That is not why we re here. Also, we realize that administrators, faculty and nany student leaders want to be perceived by their ?ublic as able and responsible. They an? concerned about the image they project, and they find it often ] ?: ui? 1 41 i _tu : in. muesli auie wneii uiey are peieeiveu uuierwise. we xpect them to be concerned, and we think they should be concerned. However, it is not our responsibility to promote an image they desire. It is their responsibility. There will be times when we nay question one's ability, intentions, or respon;iveness to upholding his responsibilities, and we will lo so witn tne public's best interests in mind. If one loes not want to be perceived unfavorably by the >ublic, he should behave himself. One should not illow himself to get into any kind of trouble for which le may later regret. A person is responsible for his ictions. We are only responsible for reporting them. TVt mM>t thp ronuirpmonlc nf on offi^ianf onH * V V4?V/ m. v/vjMtt VIIIVIIUJ VI Ull VAft IVlVllt UAIU responsible press, we strive to understand you so that we may promote a greater understanding of you by our readers. We urge that you make an effort to understand and respect our responsibilities. todies operate''and offer solutions t0 Problems for mfthe relevancc of 1 have valuab.e i no expert on any ""J'am not one who is so quick K*6 tu ? to make baseless assumptions. reas that are of 1 dePlore W* who are 80 reas tnat are 01 icR assume If you don>t readers for which I ?now ask Don,t ass^e Too ripew to sneak I often' get into a lot of BsSte to SDeak on trouble in making rash value Sisn^iX when judgments based on _ vague, TmaV be able to "ncomprenensiDle and inap\ propriate criteria. I do not wish C ""?!, rL.g to get myself into such constructive Predicaments. It is uni ii of oil professional and can hurt fer criS that ">??* Pe?Ple without iust le, not destructive cause H?^ver. I will not possible, I will try to See COLUMN, page 31 AMECOCK *:West Wayne Brooks j Barbara Mathews Opinion Page Editor >Shealv Graduate Assistant ' Editor Matt Ward Barry Glenn Sports Editor i Forbes Entertainment Editor Mike Hunt i ews r.nnor asm. aporis tonor Martin Mueller 1 Palma Asst. Entertainment Editor i raima Chrts Myers 3eSkCh,e< Karen Wooten Assl Sports Editor eMor?an Production Manager Bill Fit,patrlck aphy Editor Ad Manager COCK welcomes tetters from its readers. Letters should be limited to a single a maximum of 300 words. They must be signed with the writer's true name, s or other aliases will not be used, but the writer's name will be withheld if :es warrant. To assist us in verifying the identity of writers, please Incljde g address and a telephone number where you can be reached. Please include ng and ma|or, alto. We reserve the right to edit alt letters, not tor content, but | space limitations. Address: Campus Opinion, The Gamecock, Orawer A, d ibla, S. C. |