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J- ? 1 _ V^UUI Lb LU Uldllie for the handling of Ellis' case Many students and fans are not happy about the way the university has handled Phil Ellis' defense. They complain that the coaches and administration were too easy on Ellis. Many think he should have been suspended from the football team and others believe he should have been expelled from school. When a student's behavior is as questionable as Ellis', he should be dealt with accordingly. It is, however, the court's place to decide guilt and punishment. If people think the 48hour jail sentence Ellis was given was insufficient punishment, they should blame the judicial system, not the university. It was not the university's place to decide how to punish Ellis. The coaches are not judges. They aren't in a position to rpnripr Hfvisinns nn ffnilt or innocence. The facts were presented to a Richland County Magistrate. He decided on the sentence. Anyone who isn't happy with that decision should complain about the justice system, not about USC's power or influence in helping Ellis out of a jam. Considering the nature of Ellis' offense, which he pleaded guilty to, the punishment seems very slight. The general attitude and comment around campus is that Ellis got preferential treatment because of his varsity athlete status. Many believe that the influence of the athletic department at USC and in Columbia helped Ellis get off easy. But even if the athletic department's influence did help Ellis, the problem lies with the courts, not the school. It is the court's responsibility to uphold justice. The university is not responsible for punishing student's who break the law, and it should not be blamed for the severity of the court's sentence. El Salvador crisii TotheEditor: Central America s As word of the struggle in |"Jal'est. count7;. E El Salvador slowly be^ns to ?a'vad?r'has a Ration of occupy more and more 5.5 million, making it the SDace in the dailv re8'on's most densely newsDaDers one beeins to P?Pulated- The country is in S Ef lt a bU "<*P Poverty, withTO per curious about what is reallv ceni 01 in? cnuurei1 UI1UCI . i * five malnourished, and has happening m thus t.ny Latin th , , ftSTSS"2 consumption in Latin increasingly larger cfnink^If Amerlca' The country als0 he IjStS State* mmtlrv has a histor> of uns,able military governments the current ^ one being the fourth in THE PAST EIGHTEEN months. There is plenty of reason to be curious, because in the year 1981 alone, the U.S. In October of 1979, a group plans to spend over $11.5 of military officers and million dollars on military civilians, hoping to stabilize ccictannp tr? Fii Salvador fiQ the internal problems of percent of the total amount their country, overthrew the of military aid our country government of General has given to the country over Carlos Romero. A U.S. the past 30 years. In ad- supported military/civilian dition, the United States has junta was then formed, but a number of military ad- by the end of January, 1980, visors in El Salvador and all of the junta's original trains officers for the El civilian members had Salvadorean army in U.S. resigned, stating that the facilities. Now that we have government had failed "to established the fact that the achieve closer ties with the I United States has a vested popular movements" in El interest in El Salvador's Salvador, and because the I situation let us take a look at government had not enacted what this situation is. adequate measures to gamecock Founded 1 908 Newsroom: 777 7181 Advertising: 777 4249 Business Office: 777-3888 Production: 777 2833 Stephen Riddell Editor Jill Hancock Copy Desk Chief Leesn Bainbridge . Editorial Page Editor lorosa weaver mows cimoi uynnoa udivon wire muoi Don Weatherbee Asst News Editor Jeny Brewer General Manager Michelle Burchette Co-sports Editor William Tinsley . Production Manager Richard Meyers Co-sports Editor Jean Matchell Business Manager Mark Platto Entertainment Editor Russ Furtick Advertising Manager Lynn Massey Asst. Ent. Editor Mark Ethridge Jr Advisor Chip Lowell Graphics Editor I ottc>r*z Rj CYiliimns Ju<Vl.t,V/Ji cr ?. ? - _-w Sole roproduction rights granted to the Associated Pross All other material contained heroin may not be reproduced without the permission of the editor. Opinions expressed in the Gamecock are those, if signed, of the writer and, if unsigned, of the editor The Gamecock welcomes letters and columns All letters and columns must be typewritten, tfiple spaced on a 65 space line. Letters should be no longer than 300 words, and columns should be limited to one newsworthy subject no longer than four typed pages Letters and columns must bo signed with the writer's correct name, telephone number, mailing address, class standing or faculty position and major Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but the writer's name may be withheld on lotters, upon request, if (tie circumstances warrant it Wo reserve the right to edit columns and lettors for spaco and stylo, and we reserve tiiC ."nhl!? '"I001 anv column 'of anV reason ... . "" . _ . - * ? in: Fditoria! Page Editor. Gamecock. Orawer A Address lettors and coin .. . u USC, Columbia. S C. 2920H /hoovtes HH*. cro9*yf X-T fhit?k JTin gapusu* ' giv? Of> my Lifes ? Letters to the Editor > CAjJian icu achieve land reform. The These representatives issue of land reform lies at have introduced a bill in the heart of the internal Congress calling for an struggle there because only immediate halt to all U.S about 30 wealthy families military assistance to the El own 57 percent of the land Salvadorean government. Ir and control the banks and addition, a United Nations industries of El Salvador. resolution passed las! December calls on al After the civilian nations to cease from sen resignations took place, El ding military aid to E Salvador's Christian Salvador. Democratic Party joined the ^ne ?f the outspoken military in a new junta, influential supporters of th< promising to achieve these FDR, the late Archbishoj reforms. Since then, about Romera, of El Salvador'! - ? ... . j?_j r'athnlir fhurrh wa: 5,000 civilians nave aieu, ? ? with considerable evidence assassinated in March o indicating government after endorsing th< responsibility for most of the popular revolution. Om deaths, and drawing links month earlier, he ha< between the "rightist" written a letter to forme families controlling the President Carter, statinj country's wealth and the that U.S. arms sales to hi government's military country had sharpened "th forces. repression" his people wer under. On the other side of the coin is the Democratic In the end, it appears th Revolutionary Front (FDR) U.S. has taken the dubioi supported by the El position of supporting a Salvadorean Catholic unpopular governmen Church, trade unions, under auspices of th businessmen^ and the "communist threat " ar country's two major may very well find itselt in universities. The FDR is l?ng bloody struggle. A poii engaged in evident op- to remember is the parall position against the junta, of U.S. involvement in 1 and according to a trio of Salvador with her previoi * ? 5? U.S. congressional invoivemeni in viei inmi representatives who just and that this policy, at tl returned from El Salvador, current rate of escalatio also enjoys the popular all too easily result in tl support of the EI committing of America Salvadorean people. U.S. troops in an attempt State Department reports prevent the fall of the rulii - A At contend that the FDR is a government mere. Marxist-backed front, at- Michael Goodii tempting to extend Marxist political science maj influence in Latin America. senic Police no help ai To the Editor: This letter is in response to your article on the Bru Springsteen camp-out Jan. 26. It was run smoothly and < fectively, and indeed, organization was the by-word of t entire weekend. The only problem in the whole operation came not at t hands of the students, but rather at the hands of camp security and the Columbia Police Department. One hour prior to the opening of the ticket windows, sevei campers noticed someone in line whose name did not appe on any list and whose hand was not stamped. One of t campers brought this to the attention of the Columbia poli officer and both campus security officers on hand. All < tempts to have the line-breaker removed from the line we I.I ye/t, b'sfdps ? ?l*et*>ly 3p?N+ N?xf y??*5 f'/'oi+ibiu on a PTL CiUB Commei^onAVwE bulV^f) Don't toss trash out of windows To the Editor: Being a resident in one of the Towers dormitories, I am greatly upset at the dropping of bottles and other objects (fireworks, etc.) from the top floors. In the first place, it is very annoying, especially when done at night. However, the most important reason why something should be done is the fact that great bodily harm could be dohe (i. . lacerations). Since this would be defined by the law as "maming," the person who would throw the objects could be charged with criminal assault, consequently something should be done before someone becomes seriously injured. Ask yourself as you're walking under one of the Towers dorms if you would want something to fall on your head. Obviously, no! So, if vr?n Hnn'f want someone to do it to vou. don't do it to anybody else. I Name Withheld by Request ; Team member ; praises coverage 1 ^ To the Editor: i n ..am franiumf roaHpr nf thp flnrnpcnrh and I think & din a vci j ii vvjuv/iit i vuv4v,4 x/. v..^ , ? it's a very well-organized paper and reflects the talent and abilities of the writers and photographers. ;! But, specifically, I would like to point out the great job that's being done in the sports section. The coverage has been s in depth and both the teams and individuals have been l' examined. Considering the hard work that goes into e upholding the school's winning tradition, the Gamecock does a great job publicizing the team's efforts. Also, it keeps the students and faculty up to date as to n what's happening on the athletic field from day to day. 0 Finally, it also helps to encourage the student body to come ^ out and support the Gamecocks, whom I'm sure really appreciate the support that has been shown them this year so ^ far. ?r Gerald Peacock r Business Major : ticket lines met with coarse rebuffs from the police. One of the student !e organizers was threatened with verbal abuse charges when he requested an explanation as to why the police and campus If* lA. t 1 4 ,v security reiuseu iu cuupciiiic. As a result, the line-breaker was allowed to purchase ie tickets before most of the three-night campers. The line 1S cutter left the scene to a torrent of boos and everyone went home with a bitter aftertaste to what had been an enjoyable experience. >r Come on, security. Show us that you are willing and >? capable of doing your part in aiding the smooth operation of -? this campus. t- Thomas K. Fink 'e Undeclared freshman