The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 02, 1979, Image 22
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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
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On Gol
sh
1 ptfprs i<
-w v v \?/ x k-/ *To
the Ed
I am
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letters to: Campus opinion, The
Gamecock, Drawer A, USC,
Columbia, S C. 29208.
Qameoock
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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
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