The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 28, 1981, Page Page 2, Image 2
Editorial
Concern Over
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It's been almost 20 months since Lurie Barry Ballou died
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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
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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."
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/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.
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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.
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IT 1ULA
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I inmate1
TO THE EDITOR : r
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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.
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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
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BLASTED
MORAL
3f 14 A Ia^iTT/
KiMuuruiy,
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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