University of South Carolina Libraries
Editorial General Must Mo Although it has been practically four months since USC won the rieht to kcf>n - O - 1' their two-year programs in the college of General Studies intact, the bad feelings of debate and appeal in April and May have not subsided. At least not with General Studies people. The two-year programs were not only scrutinized by the state Commission on Higher Education but by the governor's ?cr:? 11--- ? uuMje as wen as a numoer ot south Carolina businessmen and citizens, all of whom felt that the apparent duplication of programs had to be eliminated. The arguments and controversy made everybody look at what General Studies was doing and what purpose it served. At the Carolina Coliseum, a number of students enrolled in those criticized classes, their families and friends must have wondered themselves about the type of education tney were getting and more importantly, the future they were to face if the programs were phased out. USC's winning the appeal was not only a great victory for the university as a whole, but it was a fitting tribute and reward to those people who fought so hard to keep their two-year curriculum. Never in recent memory has a group of students banned together for a cause with such spirit and determination. Like a family * U ~ ... ~ ~ f i ?: -i ? t't% "ii nic verge ui luring a uying cnua, ine |M Vc ?*0v P" |e o GAMECO 1 !niv??r<ti>i nt C 1? f ^ .... ... V u.wimli v IIIUIIIDM. J.L. Founded 1<J0? Advertising: 777 4249 Newsroom: 77> Production: 777-2tilJ Business Office: Mark Ptatle (dilor Michael Gooding u|if wm <.mri irny Dirwt'l . Donald B. Weatherbee Newslditor MarkMclwan Michael Romato?sski . Entertainment fdi?or JeanHatchell I rat v Helms Sports Editor linda Haines John Parnt'll Photo Iditor Mark I(bridge |r Sole reproduction rixhls granted to the Associated Press. All o ? tained herein ma> not he reproduced without Ihe permission of the Opinions expressed in the Gamecock are those, if signed, of the siX?eu. 01 ine editor Tin- Gamecock wcldimes letters and columns. All letters and Iv pewritten. triple seated on a br> space line. letters should tie no longer than 100 words, and columns should newsworthy subject no longer than lour typed pages, letters and signed with the writer's correct name, telephone number, mail tiaiiuinK in uuiiiy position ann ma|or. Pseudonyms are nnacceplah name may be withheld on letters, upon request, if the circumstance We reserve the ri^ht to edit columns and letters for space and sty the rixht to rejet I any column for any reason. Address letters and columns to: Editorial Pa#e fdilor, Gamecocl Columbia, S.C. i9i08. Studies ve Ahead college's students, staff and professors rallied together and became closer to each _ii i " uiner oecauseoi it. It would be foolhardy to think that the commission will ease the pressure on General Studies now that the case is seemingly over. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. And if the commission ever succeeds in eliminating the two-year classes, it will be only a matter of time before they'll begin to attack the rest of the program. The main objective of General Studies should now be to alter those parts of the curriculum that make their two-year programs similar to those of technical colleges across the state. The second goal should be to forget about the past and look to the future. Attitude is extremely important in developing a new outlook on the college and the people who are doing the job to arlvanno it General Studies should understand what it is that makes them unique and realize the goal they have yet to achieve: to provide education for those that need an extra push. It's also time to recognize and appreciate the effort nut forth nnt nnlv hv thp nrpciHnnf of the university who was put on the firing line, but by all of USC who were behind him, giving encouragement and some who joined in the fight. ttinn Am r *! nV Williams/Staff Writer )! K.flrlipr thic uioolr in Edgefield County, the Rev. Jesse Jackson's civil rights ; mT group People United to Save V,, m X Humanity won a court battle to stage a protest march against the venerable Sen. Strom Thurmond's wish to let the 1965 Voting Rights Act expire. The law was enacted '7,81 to require Southern states to ///iam submit any changes in voting laws to the U. S. Justice department for ,. iditonjiPage Ediioi review, thereby removing ..ceneui Manner both restrictions against production Manager black voting and the final ^^8u?nes?Manager vestiges of Jim Crow. Advertising Manaiier ? Adviser I WONDER, THOUGH, what would occur if the act were to expire. Would blacks KKALiLY lose the right to ther matenal con- a . . i.A. ? editor vote and have our political strength diluted? 'w"ter 4nd *un Since the conservative Reagan administration columns must he opened shop in the White House, many civil rights be limited to one leaders have predicted for the ??'s the erosion ?f the ?ie, but the water's civil rights gains made in the swarrantii. 60s. Their pessimism may, I le, ,in<i we reserve daresay, be ill-founded. n ny no means am I Drawer a use, I knocking the gains that my I forefathers have fought and I died for. Thank God for my 3 right to vote, to attend the -Letters to 1 I uamecoci Real N To the Editor, As a reader and subscriber of "South Carolina's Best College Newspaper", I wonder if it is your sports section that allows you to make this claim to fame? It is certainly not your coverage of the news that effects the student body at large, as well as others that read your rag. For the past week, the Atomic Licensing and Saftey Board of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission have been holding hearings. Two days were designated for public vjjjiiuuiis in wiucn tay people could speak their mind. Only a handful of USC students came. Was this because the issue of licensing another unnecessary threat to our safety was to controversial or paltry for such a miniscule newspaper and/or mind. Another important issue you seemed to have overlooked (or ignored) that is of interest to anyone over 18, and expecially to minorities, is the Voting Rights Act of 1965. school of my choice and to sound to soi drink from any water minority shot fountain I desire. But these play the ? were rights that should have majority, always been ours under the Of course, i wording of that ageless to this idea is document called the Con- black solidar stitution. What we as young day, a couple U 1 1-- * uiacns neea 10 concern were thrasir ourselves with today, is not around when only the civil rights "We need to I movements but the and then blac achieving of economic parity couldn't help with whites. Money after all, him. This att is where the real clout lies. solidarity is With the Reagan onset, edged sword, some black conservatives, excellent to h such as economist Thon^as awareness an c n * w oowi'ii ana l'emple origins. But o University Professor Walter much of this Williams, have come out in black race b favor of the president's own isolation, fiscal policies. The most is the point of notable of these is his like AFRO a proposed cuts in government college if you spending, including deep othingelse? cuts in social Drotframs that i ^ m ^ A SIIIU U OV/I benefit primarily blacks and irony about th the poor. two centuries WHAT THESE MEN are attend tradit saying, in effect, is that schools like I blacks need to start con- But the momc centrating more on getting a state officials slice of that economic pie. with the idea Or, as painful as it may stitution such IWirC J A BRAMl ' 1 I I m- * tne tditor k Misses lews SENATOR STROM THURMOND, racist chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee which must recommend the renewal of this act, is threatening not to renact this legislation by stalling and delaying discussion until it is too late. Any taxpaying American citizen has (or should have) this right, but Senator Thunder is threatening to disallow this civil right to many minorities. If it were left up to his stormy mind, no one but the rich would have anv ri rthfc tnKil/\ ? ? 1 ullj 1151110, winit me jwui ctnu upprtsseu would be sent to fight and protect the interest of such money monger's in foreign countries. The taking away of civil rights and liberties cannot be allowed to continue. It is up to the media, yes even student newspapers, to let citizens know what their pnvprnmpnt ic im QW ? * kj V4 J/ IVS . Kay Permenter HI Columbia, S.C. ne of us, the we start to protest. "We need ild be willing to to preserve our black [ame of the heritage," we automatically assort * big roadblock WE AS A POEPLE have the concept of overcome the political ity. The other barriers ; one of the many we of friends and I have faced in the past few lg the suject generations. We need to one observed, pursue economic gains as be people first, well, a chase that will be k.M Somehow I made easier once we cross but agree with the psychological and litnHo r\( Klonb ~ -?i ? *? - ? * -v*.^ imugica 1 nuraies. 1 really a two- believe the time couldn't be On one, it is better to do this than the lave a sense of present. We can make life d pride of one's even better for our children n the other, too and grandchildren. Isn't that can lead to the what our parents were ringing on its thinking about when they After all, what sacrificed for us? I think joining groups there is still a lot in this md NAACP in world to be gained if we nlav re involved in the right cards. Hey, I'm damn proud of newhat unfair being black. But it's one is. We fight for thing to remember where for the right to you come from and what ionally white you've gone through, but it is JSC, and win. totally differeht matter to ?nt federal and dwell on it a long time. We \ begin toying need to push forward; we'll of a black in- never do it spending ALL our as S C. State, time looking back.