Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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?opinion Mudslinging rules upcoming elections As election day draws nearer, the media are cluttered with advertisements touting the worth of political candidates. Television, radio and newspapers are flooded with campaign promises, smiling candidates and catchy slogans. Bumper stickers are plastered everywhere requesting votes Nov. 2. nj i 1 11 i - ' 1 * * statewide aeDates give voters a cnance to quiz candidates on the issues. The state focuses on this election and allows other matters to slip into the background. The scenario is nothing new, but a distinguishing feature ? mudslinging ? has gained importance in the '82 campaign. Mudslinging has become a popular sport in the '82 election. Always a traditional feature of political campaigns, mudslinging has taken on new dimensions this year. Candidates for state offices haven't gone at eacfr other so fiercely in a long time. Constant bickering, disagreeing and name-calling have been the popular fashion this year. No two candidates seem to agree on any one issue. Candidates seem destined to disagree, if only for disagreement's sake. Campaigns have developed more into personality clashes than issue-related discussions. The candidates attack each others' voting records, mental capabilities,ages, experience and anything else that may provide sensational discussions. A 1! J _ J. _ K < j\ canuiaaie s campaign seems to be based on what his opponent has or has not done, rather than what he himself has done or plans to do. This strategy places a candidate on the defensive, causing him to rebut his opponent's statements. Voters remain in the dark about tne candidates' stand on the issues while the CanrHrta fpQ hafflp Aaph ntlior fn nlnon ^ VUVII VUIV1 H/ Vital UlCil IiaillCd. Voters feel they must choose the lesser of two evils. Each candidate presents the other in a bad light until all the voters have left is a distorted view of the entire election. Dirty polictics is a tradition that will probably never die, but it has no place in society today. Candidates should present their stand on the 1tJ i ? * issues, argue meir pomis, maKe a good public appearance ? and that's all. Name-calling and tongue-lashing only inhibit the democratic process. When campaigns include such practices, voters are hurt because they have not been given a true image of the candidates and their qualifications. Candidates are hurt because they must waste valuable campaign time defending themselves against opponents' attacks. It's time for a return to basic politicking ? kissing babies, shaking hands and constant smiling ? instead of backstabbing, name-calling and snarling. In the end no one wins that type of election. ?Gcimecoch? Editor-in-Chief Richard Meyers Copy Desk Chief David DeWitt Opinion Page Editor . Vicki Jinnette Asst. Copy Desk Chief.. Kay Bender Wire Editor Sydne Waller News Editor John Braun Photo Kditor Andy Putnam Asst. News Ed.. Richard Culbertson Oeneral Manager RonEmler Asst. News Editor. .. Forrest Brown Adviser Mark Ethridge, Jr. Ent. Editor John Vaughan Manager Linda S. Haines Asst. Ent. Editor Chris Handal Business Manager . ., Jean Hatchell Sports Editor Johnny Boggs Production Manager Mark McEwan Asst. Sports Editor. . Dennis Switzer Advertising 777 4249 Newsroom 777-7181 Production 777-2833 business Office 777-3888 The Gamecock welcomes letters and guest editorials. All letters and guest editorials must be typewritten, triple-spaced on a 65-space-line. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and guest editorials should be limited to one newsworthy subject no longer than four typed pages. Letters ana guest editorials MUM be signed with the writer's name, telephone number, mailing address, class standing or faculty position and major. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but the writer's name may be withheld upon request if the circumstances warrant. We reserve the right to edit guest editorials and letters. Address letters and columns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock, Drawer " A, USC, Columbia, SC. 29208. % _| ?tt? rs Marching b Football teai Editor: This letter is in response to the person complaining about the football team disrupting the band at halftime. This person seems to forget that a football game is just that ? a football game. I realize the band works hard, and I enjoy their performance and feel that they are one of the top bands in the nation. However, the players need to wcii in up an over again, ana live minutes is a fairly short time. I don't feel that taking a mere five minutes is Taxing not m Simply because I do not think that fa should go unchallenged, and not necess the Supreme Court case of Bob Jones ii should like to point our just a few faults < editorial, "Students make choice to atten First, to claim that a principle is simply because it is applied to everyone By the same token, for example, one Germany was fair and non-discriminator be killed just as totally as Jews. The fact i people, be it on their right to life or in discriminatory, is based on prejudici malign the importance of the individual. The second question, which is very muc as concerns Bob Jones University, is should be considered discriminatory if t against approve of the action. This certai but transferring the question into asking harmed or not alleviates it. No, if the p maligned, they should be allowed, if no debasement they desire. On the othe broadens the amount of misconception an from the orieinal inrnrrpptn^cc nf I am really not interested in the firs regards to Bob Jones University. Much the political level is whether or not anyon< income tax ? they should not ? and whetl should be exempted from paying taxe taxes correctly based) ? they should not. Income tax, regardless of its constitu constitutionality, which Mr. Reach gli< proper tax not only because it creates working and improvement of income, bi relation to proper government. Proper concern itself solely with defense, prival A. iioi wiui my income or insuring my job. I do not need defending when my incor other hand, I do need defense for mattt property, which is the proper basis for taj am to be forced to pay taxes, I am b against twice if someone else is relega receives the same amount of defense. I do not want ar\^ church to pay income want them to be forced to pay property . and rflocortia MBIM UWUI W %M m needs fait! too much to a^k of the team, seeing that they are the primary reason for the people coming to the game, not the band. I can't see how this person can ask that USC Coach Richard Bell apologize. He does not owe anyone an apology. I would also like to comment on this person's attitude toward the team. He is obviously not a true Carolina fan. He finds it easy to criticize the team after a loss, but I bet he's a "real Gamecock fan" when they are winning. ajor function i 11 : ? * ? - - uacies 01 argument But they have no in arily because I feel by government as s 3 a burning issue, I rights comes just ai of Mr. Tom Reach's either are irrational d BJlj." In a state that non-discriminatory throwback to anteb i is sheer nonsense, faced with these qu could claim Nazi another failure of i y because Poles can ideal based on ratioi c fhof 1 i Wk if U VllUt lillllUlllUlId VIII terracial dating, is In such a course ial principles that small segment in 1 fectiveness of the \ condemning it. h related to the first whether an action hose discriminated nly does get messy, whether people are _____ >eople choose to be t welcomed to, the r hand, this only td does not subtract ination. it two questions as IT more important on \ O 2 should have to pay |ng her any organizaton s (supposing those X\J tionality (or its un- /S\\i~ ies over), is not a lf\A incentives apainst if ^ Jt because it has no 1) LBL j government should ?? W fa!/ :e and national, and ne changes. On the irs of contract and III 11 cation. But also, if I ill If! eing discriminated 04 nhnim rnn l?X/V4 U MV V Vy 1UU UIIU L- ' ' taxes. I do not even OPfiD^BNT and contract taxes. MAKE too IOC ^^ UlNlllh bi Mil I il il is praise, liful fans I'm sure the loss to Furman disappointed a lot of people, but we need to continue to support them no matter what. A "true" fan stands behind his team at all times, not just when they are winning. This person fails to realize that the football team also practices hard and long every week in order to play for the fans. And for what? So a low person such as he can complain and put them down? uru~4 ?i 1 1- ' wimi uus scuuui neeus is more true Gamecock fans, not artificial ones. Mark Bassett Engineering freshman Df government trinsic quality that should be recognized uperior in political rights. Destruction of s surely by concessions as restrictions if actually has Blue Laws, a horrible ellurn aristocracy, I can not help but be lestions daily, and every day shows still government as anything close to some lai laws. of time, Bob Jones University is a very he unending controversy about the efjresent government, much of the truth Arthur L. Williams Philosophy/religious studies sonhomorn n tl 'Hi Uyxl H* WE FEEL- SOKE WE CAN MAKE UCOK WORSE THAN) HE CAM K."