The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 16, 1981, Page Page 5, Image 5
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
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... . "" . _ . - * ? 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