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Editorial Concern Over IllVVlMfl I llll IIUftHIU It's been almost 20 months since Lurie Barry Ballou died Ian 1QQ1 ir? Hio Sioma Nil fratpmitv lniiriPP nn IISCI's wuil. A tTU A) AAA UAV ? ?v. >? ?.vw a?*vjr ?v ??q- v? ? ? ? ? McBryde Quadrangle. An autopsy on Ballou's body proved the Sigma Nu pledge died from choking on his own vomit ? his blood alchohol level was .46 percent ? a lethal amount. When fraternity members realized that Ballou was dead (several brothers checked Ballou earlier that night and after deciding he didn't need medical attention,laid him on a couch A 1~ Ul r??lf rvt r/>?? \ lime ^rvrv 1 ofn fn CQiro KlC llUO W nil CJ UiaiUVCl 1U1 tuvci /ll wao iw iuiv n_l an yv iiiu iitv. The Richland County coroner said Ballou's death "was a misfortunate accident... It's a very sad tiling that happenec and no man alive can be held responsible for his death." ? * "-11 ? C 1 A ?.no Un yj;/ /uinougn oanou was IlOl lortcu IU Ui inn. eta muv;ii as lie ua there certainly was, and still is, an underlying pressure "tc be one of the guys." Call it peer pressure. And in a fraternii > atmosphere - a drinking atmosphere ? that pressure has more than once proved to be lethal. \A/Ko* in Hio CirfmQ Mil InllnrfO fhai nioht " II?t 1 luppvi 1V.V* All U1V> Ulgliiu AIM lUUII^V tlXUl kilguv MttVI their initiation has happened before. There is a growing concern fostered by parents, university administrations anc fraternities over these needless deaths. The concern is peaking. j This concern was the theme of an investigative report b> ABC's 20/20, a Thursday night television magazine. Ballou's parents and other parents who lost their sons to misfor tunate accidents- fraternity drinking and hazing?appearec on the show to talk about their feelings and concerns that it will happen again. The report included several films of fraternity parties and hazing rituals. And as the subjects didn't know they were being filmed, viewers unfamiliar with fraternity initiations an idea of how dangerous it can be to allow one's son to ~ "f join the wrong fraternity. There are, unlike those fraternities shown in the report several fraternities who respect a young man's uniqueness his integrity, ultimately his right to life. But until majoi steps are taken to standardize initiations? make them safer There still remains the chance of someone dying on ? fraternity couch. That's not to say the fraternities should lose their in dividuality by forfeiting their rights to choose their member emu inmate mem in secrecy, aimpiy, sinci non-nazing law: should be enforced by universities and fraternit: headquarters.and more stringent alcohol policies should to enforceu by fraternities themselves. Fraternities don't need to test their pledges by beatini them.threauning them with knives, locking them in ca trunks in sub-freezing weather and by other sadistic hazin; measures revealed in the documentary. ; As Ballou's parents pointed out. the problem needs al tention A comprehensive effort is needed to end the useles 5ibuse. GAMECOCK University ol South Carolina ( olumhia. S.C. FoundedI90fl Newsroom: 777-7181 Advertising: 777 424? Business Office: 777-lfifta Production: 777 28i; j v\arV Platte Editor Jill Hancock Copy Desk Chief *U(V Helms Sports Iditi David C(?rvette Newslditoi Jim ( orbett Asst. Sports (diti Tom Coyne Asst. News Iditor Mikefisher Graphics Edit* Don Weatherbee Editorial Page Editor lerry Brewer General Manag Mike Koniatowski.... Enlertainm -nt Editor l'"da Haines AdvertisingManag* John Vaughan Asst. I nt Editor Mark McEwan Production Manag i. - Imb UilrluH iumiu^i AMVtser ou?inr? iU)(i Sole reproduction rights granted to the Associated Press. All other material ton tained herein may not be reproduced without the permission ol 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 I typewritten, triple-spaced on a 65 space line. Letters should be no longer than J00 words, and columns should be limited to one newsworthy subject no longer than four typed pages, letters and columns must be signed with the writer's correct name, telephone number, mailing address, (lass ! standing or faculty position and major. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but the writer's name may be withheld on letter, upon reques*, n ine ?ir< umsiances warrant 11 We reserve the right to edit columns and letters for space and style, and we reserve the right to reject any column for any reason. Address letters and columns to: Editorial Page Editor, Gamecock, Drawer A, USC, C olombia, S.C. 29.208. 1 > f B ' ff? . . W 1' IT 1ULA 1 ^ 4S4^/ 1 JBMmi fBBHV \7 \p TT 7 > .t > I \ ? I inmate1 TO THE EDITOR : r r a a J First of all, I am an inmate f in the Arizona State Prison ^ in Florence Arizona. 5 1 5 TO EXPLAIN my i J I _:i i: 1 J i t 1 situation wouiu De very nara j e to do at this time. I am a lonely man, cast aside, g awaiting to take heed to the r love and friendship that I g have to give. 1 am seeking correspondence from real * Wrong Im "I TO TilE EDITOR: We'd like to correct the impression left by your headline: "Closed: Journalism Department Not ! Accepting Transfers," (page 15, Sept. 21 issue). While it is true that the advertising/public relations sequence is ciosea 10 transfers for the time being, the [? other two sequences, newsr>r = Student er Ha good leaving the football team. According to Carlen, Tommy Smoake "just lost interest." How many people on full scholarship "just lose interest?" Is it instead that J Carlen lost interest in TOTIIK KDITOK: I an writing in reference to the Wednesday, Sept. 23 issue of the Gamecock in which coach Jim Carlen ? 4 ^ 4 4 1 I siting t in.- reasuiib IUI Tommy Smoake and Kent miMai||BIIlflMBMMa0nMnDaHBPaB Letters To T Writes >eople who are willing to be i fr'.pnH and I hnrx? tn takf iway some of the lonely eeling that we all have in his world together. I would like to have this letter pulished in the "per pal" section of your campus newspaper. JAMES JOHNSON P.D. Box B-34559 Florence Arizona 85232 I RlldA ipi C99IUII editorial and broadcasting, are still accepting transfers. There is quite a bit of difference between "Journalism Department Not Accepting Transfers" and "Ad/PR Sequence Not Accenting Transfers." PATIUCIA (i. MCNEELY Chairman News-Editorial Sequence Defends Smoake? And, is Kent Hagood really homesick or perhaps plain sick of Carlen i.:., u..11?> cii 111 inr> mill : IF YOIJ'KK going to tell the story J.C. Ill, (or should 1 just call you the J.C.?) do iik ;tll ;i f;ivnr ;ir?J foil lw?th sides (i.e. something with truth). You claim to be such a Godfearing man yet you lack respect for others unless their means meet ?T HE WHO IS wwoursiN, ~ ;astthe 1 :m\ chunC"' * % "4 he Editor-? Stories 0 TO THE EDITOR I am writing in response to the article, "In Trouble", which appeared in the September 18th issue of the Gamecock. Although the article was informative, it was also tremendously onesided. There was much said about the misconceptions women have about sex, the responsibilities of women, and the contraceptives of women. There was nothing said about men or their responsibility. Though women bear children, it is a callous ?f,?? m t L i c? n?A. aasuiii^uuii lilctl IU1 II1UI reason they should also bear the full responsibility for birth control. Is birth control just another one of "those burdens" our society totally unloads on women? This is not only unjust, it is also r idiculous. In a relationship, both partners should take equal responsibility and action for birth prevention and control. BRIAN MELTON Journalism Junior Players your end. I'm sure I snonk fm* muph of the student body when I say that I am thoroughly disgusted with your incompetent handling of the athletic department as a whole. 1 certainly wouldn't be sorry to see you go ? but then again, 1 never did like hermorrhoids. NAMK WITH II10 LI) BY KKQl'KST ? 3 A v 3k c& JHS1 hSL.* f t * BLASTED MORAL 3f 14 A Ia^iTT/ KiMuuruiy, *T 2) ne-sided TO THE EDITOR: We're writing an editorial } referring to a news story lirtr* mir ml l seen on wio-iv inursuay night. According to this news story, USC's South Carolina College, a college for ^.4.. ...L A 1 c\r\i\ 2>iuueuu> WHO score i.zuu ur above on their SAT's, has a "top-notch" professorial staff, which implies that the rest of the students get the i remainders. u BKOAOCASTEK Susan Aude, also reported that these selected (about 450) students receive a quality education. Once again, implying that the remaining student bodv receives a less than adequate education. Our second case in point is that if this is true, and the S.C. College program is receiving the best qualified education and professors, then it simply doesn't seem fair. Once again to imply that those selected students ;irp rwfivino mnr<> fr?r thoir money. The faci is that we are all a part of the same learning institution (USC), pay the same tuition and should be iiuit? 10 snare in ine same benefits. RACIIKLK. KOIONKi Journalism ? Senior CAROLGORDON Journalism ? Junior r . ivi/i.m 1/1 History ? Junior PATTI It. MYIIK'K Media Arts ? Senior