The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 24, 1982, Image 1
GAME COCK
LXXLV, No. 87 University of South Carolina Wednesday February 24, 1982
Universi
By FORREST BROWN ^nd c
JULIE JAMESON
Staff Writers
University officials, hall
directors, and campus
chaplains recently met to
discuss the problems of
sirong-arm witnessing , ?
and high-pressure tactics by
religious groups not I
associated with cults. 1
Strong-arm witnessing is a i
tactic used by religious I
groups to influence people to r
the group's beliefs. H
Rich Levy, Columbia Hall
resident hall director,
relates a problem he faced j
last semester. |
"In Columbia Hall last ;
semester, there was a big
problem, especially on one
floor," he said. "There was
this sign of someone sponsoring
a Bible study, but they
didn't say who they were on
the sign."
Other RHD's agreed with
Levy at the meeting. They
complained of posters
similar to thp nnps in
Columbia Hall, and they also
resented some of the door-todoor
solicitation religious
groups practice in the
dorms.
Dr. Lauren Brubaker,
university chaplain, emphasized
at the meeting that
stuHpnts Ho not havp tn licfpn
to people who witness to
them.
"We should be sure that
the students know where
they stand," Brubaker said.
"Their room is a private
domain. A student has the
right to say 'I am busy, go
away.' Students should do
this if they do not want to
listen to the person, but most
often they do not."
Brubaker said, "The only
person a student can't do this
to is an official on university
business."
University policy states
that solicitation is illegal in
ircp ?n v?t t
U OV> UUlIIld 111 dll UUl IWU
cases: university officials
may go door-to-door on official
university business,
and students may solicit
newspaper subscriptions
door-to-door. The policy
makes no exceptions for
^lurlpi
KJ I/UU.V1
ByTOM COYNE
News Edilor
A "Learn to Lobby" day
will be held by Student
Government Feb. 27 to
prepare students for the
March 3 Lobby Day at the
State House.
Glory B. Gault, Student
Government vice president
said the learn to lobby day
would help students in their
lobbying attempts for more
i. ~ A ~ i l:.,U ?
suiie support 01 ingiiei
education and keep them
from making careless
mistakes.
"If people argue the wrong
I
ty Official
)ther types of solicitation,
ncluding door-to-door
vitnessing.
n ? I : J ic ? J
nruuaKer saiu n a uunn
esident is continually
larassed by someone from a
*eligious group, they should
contact their hall adviser
and register a complaint.
Jane Young, a chaplain at
:he Baptist Student Union,
earned those attending of
additional problems of which
to be wary.
iif
M? T
Many religious grc
it Governi
points or argue lnenecuveiy
the legislators will not take
them seriously," Gault said.
The "Learn to Lobby"
seminar will be held in
Russell House Room332 from
2-4 p.m. and professional
InhKiricfc ac wroll ac ctato
KKJKJKT J lOtO UO TT VII M?J U VV? VV
legislatorswill be on hand to
give students hints on successful
lobbying.
Gault said information
sheets on dwindling state
support would be made
available to students to
better educate them on the
problems which they could
face while meeting with
legislators.
s Discuss 1
VniinO cqiH "Qnmotimoc
A. UUU^ OUlUt UV/illV/tll klVO,
people wander through the
halls identifying themselves
as chaplains, when in actuality
they are not. If
someone approaches you
identifying themselves as
chaplains, you should ask for
their staff ID card."
All recognized chaplains
at USC carry staff ID cards
and have full staff privileges
at the university.
Young mentioned another
wmm.
L.
wIl\ ;
>ups use high pressure tj
ment To t
rianH coirJ ctnHnntc chnnli
VJUUIV OMIU OtUUV/lltO OI1VUI'
begin now by making ap
pointments with thei
legislators. She also said a
the lobbying semina
organizers would try t
group people together s
thpv ran mppf with thpi
legislators at the same tim
and hopefully have a greate
impact.
Gault said the lobbying
seminar and student lot
bying day at the State Hous
were just two projects whic
Student Government ha
worked on. Over Christma
break Student Governmer
ui a wi 1 ic in Ldii
Religious Pi
problem even harder to deal
with: religious solicitation in
halls on which the solicitor
already resides.
Young said not much could
be done unless people on the
hall complained about the
sol' ntor, and that is highly
unlikely.
unnu' i*
tins suoue summation is
hard to deal with," Young
said.
"We are dealing in some
touchy religious areas, and
jctics to influence people to I
(old 'Learn
rl Daitm to Daoers across the
>- state. Gault said the camr
paign was successful and
t many students said their
r letters had made various
o papers' editorial pages,
o Gault said another
r possible project could be a
e reception for state legislators
r but that is not definite yet.
"Our slogan is an investment
in higher
>- education is an investment
e in the future of South
U Pn^nKnn ?? .1* ^?IA <?Tf
ii vaiuuna, uauu aaiu. 11
s our state schools can not
s produce qualified people
it then we won't have quality
l- people leading this state in
ressure Ta
we want people to realize
that we are not trying to
censor religious centers. If
we try to tell people, 'No, you
can't do this, this, and this,'
soon other people will be
tellinP us thp same thine Wo
just want the problem of
blatant religious harassment
to be dealt with."
Despite wide-spread
cnnnprn nhnut wif npsi^ino
there vvasa reluctance on the
part ol many students to talk
I
I
ipS I
Stall Art by MIKt FISHEK
their beliefs.
To Lobby'
the future."
Gault said the whole
project was student run and
would need a lot of student
input to be successful.
"We need students to hely
us get in touch with branch
campuses and organize
them and to work with othei
state universities," Gaul
said.
"i ieei 11 s ume we sioix
up for our rights," Gaul
said. The $25 surcharge ii
one thing but when th<
quality of education is beinj
i?~4 ;.an
uui i Muuciiui iiiuat IIUI jus
stand still for it."
ictics
openly on the subject,
especially on the part of
students who felt that some
Christians may be using
high-pressure tactics when
they witness.
I I /m i r a ? r n f Knr a nmr o
IIUVVUVCI , IIILI C WL1 ^
others who were willing to
talk about their views on
witnessing and their experiences
with it.
Ronnie Anderson, a media
arts sophomore, said, "The
whole thing started when
Campus Crusade was taking
n enrvoxr Thn\; 'ic 1/ \if\\i if i;nti
a out V V. Y . & 1 IV j aoi\ JWU II J\IU
believe in Jesus, and I said
yes. They got my telephone
number, and that's when it
all started."
Anderson explained that a
Campus Crusade member
later went to his room and
witnessed to him for about 2
1 /O Iiai ire
A / *4 IIV7UI O .
"When he first came in, I
didn't know what he was
there for," Anderson said.
"He was real nice at first,
then, bingo, he asked me if I
^wanted to join his faith."
Anderson said he did not
want to listen to what the
man had to say.
"I didn't care at all. I
r\ If r\ f urVl'ii
mm l t uoicii vi; ncwi vi wuai
he said. I think it should be
your own choice."
Anderson said that while
he didn't care to listen to the
man, he never actually
asked the man to leave.
Anderson said he told the
man he had to study for a
test, but the man did not take
the hint and kept on witnessing
anyway.
"They are so pushy that
you can't get rid of them
once they are in the door.
They are just too pushy."
Campus Crusade is not the
only organization that has
tried to influence Anderson.
"These two guys from
Shandon Church iShandon
Church of Christ) kept
coming by my room asking
? ? ~ ^.,1:,w. tUm.
inc lu iu diuic siuuiin iiivtv
had. They kept knocking on
my door all the time. I went
to one of their Bible studies
just to get them to leave me
alone They came by my room
right before their studies, and
IIAItANSKI) |?;?nr >
'Day
k) ' '4$r
ES ,
I ' *
* Glory R. Gault