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/ V ^ . n"'".,. : '>; ^r, v:-^- - ^ r- . . / i mi in CP OVJ UUIlttLll It seems doubtful now that USC will have c< the chance to decide whether or not they like cl the new Student Government, SG, Con- st stitOtion proposed by SG President Seamus O'Boyle. Campus Court issued an injunction th 4u:~ i- ' cai uci una wccr sLciiiMg uiui uie reieren- u dum scheduled for March 1 cannot be held te until the court can "clarify the exact sc election process." This involves the im- w proper validation by the Division of Student c( Affairs of the 2,357 signatures collected on th petitions requesting the referendum. te SBL 1019, signed by USC President James ot B. Holderman in the fall of 1977, states that te the signatures must be validated by the student supreme Court. So, until the signatures can be validated by the court, the p referendum cannot beheld. b Proper election procedures must be followed. They were designed as safeguards si to ensure that elections proceed honestly and fairly. Student affairs should not have tc validated the signatures and Elections tl Commissioner Kim Fowler should have r< been familiar enough with SG statutes not to si have scheduled the referendum until proper tl procedures were followed. tl Now, the important thing to do is make re sure the referendum is not killed in campus bi I 1 ? On Gol sh 1 ptfprs i< -w v v \?/ x k-/ *To the Ed I am The Gamecock welcomes letters student g< from its readers. Letters should be n?e . a a maximum of 300 words and must spoilt be signed with the writer's correct displayed name, telephone, mailing address, coneernin class standing and major. . Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but following the writer's name may be withheld scn??i w by request if circumstances stU(lenl O' warrant. We reserve the right to edit letters for space. Address letters to: Campus opinion, The Gamecock, Drawer A, USC, Columbia, S C. 29208. Qameoock Founded t'JOB J Lundqien Editor m Chief J |),,'iF ..tjcs Copy Df-sk Chiel 0^* I ,n> Ti.ivis Ne*s Editof J Ddvil BaK?i E'Her!iiinrn?>nt Editof I * Hfft 1 f 1 iedMndei Spo"s Edilo' I <4 Dnvf Hohar.n O'rtpti'f s Eduo- I >, H.i-t'.i'-i Mdlhews Win? Editor I j'ft Phillips Editoriai PtKjf* Editor i fl M I ?'n)h G'o<)an Assistant News Editor I % Lehman Soles Assistant Entertainment Ed % Joey Holieman Assistant Sports Editor jaiin e Wood Graduate Assistant ^?m J.ii (>nltin Advertising Manager E V r irt (*tn\tf\t> Pmrtiiflmn M.in,<ni>r A i /AT jon Ciemmensen General Manager 11 McKt'i1 Business Manager I I jJ&Sjp M.ifh F lhr'<Jqe jr Adviser II WffRg Sole reproduction rirjhts granted to the jM frq&K Assorted Press All other material Con /M 11 /He ained herein may not he reprinted without '/Jm igpflP [' e jie'iinssion ol the editor Ag %Ail I (ipmions repressed in the Gamecock are IJJJ jf| fiIt/ft11/ it ^ifiru>rt f>t fhi> >jrit<>r ,nul if nn Ela/lri 1 l&lljt S'goecJ o' senior etltlofal sfaM j {EluBlHJtti tution should b( xirt, The responsibility of the court is to students d arify the situation as soon as possible. The stitution pr udents must hp flllnwpH to hnvn o r?hr?ir?o ? w w..v ? x/M w TV/ m vaaviw. X I|C 1ICW We all know, through various sources, a rather co lat the electoral and legal processes in the the past fe nited States involve numerous trivial that some chnicalities ? little things which do not here capa ?em important by themselves, but without decision at hich the system would be hopelessly they prefer rnfused and unfair. The problem ? as in For exan le case of USC ? is that these little inWednesd chnicalities can be used to achieve things proposed her than that for which they were in- senators, nded. supporters force the re In this case, we think it probable that the would be 1 laintiffs filing for injunction would have constitutioi een happy with anything to keep the least rushi a'I ? u Duyie consuiuuon ' irom coming to the student tudent vote. system doe Several persons have expressed the desire Many ol ) keep the O'Boyle constitution away from proposed c( le students entirely, substituting instead a pages of t jferendum to decide whether or not SG proponents lould be changed. The ironic thing is that to make th lese are the same persons who objected to constitutior le proposed constitution because it was not hasn't had I .p.cocuwiiivc ui uie siuuenis. wnai could can voice e more democratic than having the referendum 'indent by some original geniu: "apathetic." ^ prv'riri ^yv) prV) f s a s^ame that st' J\yl lullb\JlbL> government is a "circus" ri ill "clowns" ? nobody's goin Clll ICl tlP disagree with you and we've >U (AjVKAj UKy hearing it for nnifp a u/hiln /V) f\rV*D rl maybe our silence should be a J f t(J / fe/(X to you that it's going to take ^ than a look at the new sti itor: constitution to drum up the ki interest you seem to expect, tired of reading about It's no secret that our gener jvernment and it amazes is not responding to pol he Gamecock is amazed Something like 50 percen The lack of interest eligible voters in the 18 to 25 ; by the student body" old bracket never bothere g the issue. It seems like register to vote in the le nightmare has been presidential election. Pe mo cirioa innini? ~ ~ 1 11 * ...v, Univ.*. jumui ??ku icciiue inai voies can mal hen a much younger difference but many have lost ody was first labeled ? in politicians and the institi " LEU'S TRY IT 3 a studen lecide whether or not the conovides adequate representation? v. old constitution issue has been ntroversial one on this campus in w weeks. It seems rather unfair persons do not feel the students ble of making an intelligent K)ut what type of representation nple, according to the lead story lay's Gamecock, opponents of the constitution, including many have expressed concern that of the document were trying to jferendum so the spring elections leld according to the proposed 1. Perhaps this is true. But at ng the referendum would allow a u ? vivt ? iruggiiig 11 in inc icgai s not. ejections expressed about the institution are valid. Through the his newspaper, opponents and have had ample time and space leir feelings about the proposed 1 known. The average student that chance, and the only way he his opinion is through the 1. 5 ? they install their phorn Nothing new here ? ident To many, it seems only r in by for a government that igno ig to citizens to be ignored in turn been example, I'm sick of openii But State every morning to rea i clue SLED has confiscated what more enjoy smoking. How are ident supposed to support a legal s nd of that repeatedly shuts its e something millions of Ame ation roll regularly? itics. This is just an example, t of aren't irresponsible, "apat /ear- potheads who stumble throu d to looking for a good high. The 1 l ...U ? 1 1 ' icibi wuu pusneu ior repe? tople prohibition weren't a bur <e a alcoholics either. Mari faith trafficking has become the tition largest business in this cour ' AGAIN GUYS J1 4% 0 E \ ( 'a \ c^r t concern We think the opponents of the constitution may not be giving enough credit to the students. Yes, folks, most of us are capable of making an intelligent decision when presented with facts ? if we are given the opportunity. If we are not given that opportunity, then why should SG exist in the first place. Obviously, our senators would not think us capable of understanding the issues which confront them. Also, if we are not qualified to make a decision about the proposed constitution, what makes us qualified to elect senators and constitutional officers? Student government should give those who elect them credit for having a little sense. All Darties involved shnnlH onHoo.mn s w? * wv. unvuiu VI1UVU V V/I to clear up the red tape as quickly as possible so the students will have a chance to select or reject the constitution. If the referendum is never scheduled; if the O'Boyle constitution is not on that referendum; then we can only assume that we are not intelligent enough to make a competent decision. But, this is not the case. The only way we can prove it, however, is to vote in the referendum. Give us a chance. 2s in. some people buy pot as frequently as they do groceries. We still turn latural the TV on and watch the President res its grin and tell us it's illegal but we . As an still turn the TV off just as quickly, ig The I'm registered to vote but can't id that write off the silence of others as many apathy. People care about issues people affecting their lives but are giving ;ystem up, maybe temporarily, on yes to government as a medium for ricans change. If it's cliches you're InnlfincJ f nr- n.n. *1?11 - " 1U1 , UUI (ipdlHCllC These generation probably will respond hetic" "when the time is ripe" but as far gh life as Student Government goes people maybe the Gamecock should give al of up on something the rest of us gave ich of up on back in junior school and juana concentrate on issues that are third alive and generating debate. itry ? Name withheld by request h \ ms ) jr y *