The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 01, 1982, Page 7, Image 7
I. '
I ?opinion
Election results rely
on voter participation
If you're a student or faculty member, you'v<
probably noticed that all classes are cancelec
tomorr ow. There's a very good reason for thistomorrow
is Nov. 2, election da v.
Classes have been canceled to give student*
the opportunity to vote. Whether you vote ii
Columbia, or travel home to vote, student*
should take advantage of the holiday fron
classes and vote.
This election is very important in light of tin
recent economic woes. Unemployment, interes
rates and inflation are disastrously high. Socia
and welfare programs have been cut to shreds
No one person or party can be blamed entirely
for the mess, but maybe it's time for a change ii
our governments, state and national. Perhaps i
"changing of the guard" is in order.
Voters have the ability to take lazy politician*
out of office and replace them with bright
energetic candidates who are willing to work t(
change things. Sitting back and watching the
election returns tomorrow night on televisor
does not count as active Darticioation in th#
election. Voting does.
The percentage of eligible voters who are
registered in South Carolina is higher than the
national average of registered voters, and the
state's percentage is higher than last year. This
is a good sign; you can't vote unless you'n
registered. Perhaps South Carolinians are going
f A folrn it iir?A? ^ ~ I? ^1?i??? - '
w lane II. upuu iHCHiSClVCb IU Cllitllgt lllingS, 'd
least in the state.
The two highest offices in our state govern
ment, governor and lieutenant governor, are up
for election. Seats in the U.S. House^ oi
Representatives are also up for grabs. The sis
S.C. seats have an overwhelming impact or
issues, including education, that affect S.C
residents.
Where do the state candidates stand or
education, specifically regarding USC? Student*
returning to USC next fall will be affected bj
what the candidates will do. Tuition increases
are almost inevitable, but maybe there's a waj
around it.
Vote for the candidate who is concerned aboui
better education at all levels. Social Security
cuts and defense spending may not directlj
concern a lot of students, but education concerns
all students.
The right to vote is a nrivile?f*p affnrHpH pvpr^
U.S. citizen age 18 or over. Many USC students
have just recently turned 18. A lot of privileges
are granted upon the 18th birthday. Along wit!
being able to legally drink, 18-year-olds have the
ability to vote and take part in the democratic
process. Ignoring this opportunity hurts not onlj
yourself, but everyone.
The right to vote is not only a privilege, it is a
responsibility. It is. a responsibility to your
country to improve things ? to make life better
for yourself and for those who follow.
If you don't vote, don't sit back and complain
as inflation soars and you can't find a job. The
opportunity to change those disadvantages lies in
your hands.
??(somscoch ??Editor-in-Chief
Richard Meyers
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?i?^1 . .
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' ?letters
: Disabled vetei
* Editor:
> This letter is in response to the
? militaristic rhetoric of one 1st Lt.
\ R.E. Tucker (USMC) printed in The
? State (20 Oct.) regarding the failure of
^ 500,000 individuals to register for the
draft. I present my rebuttal to his
patriotic spiel to this forum as it is
very unlikely the local papers would
> afford me equal opportunity.
In order to lay the foundation for my
L comments and nlsn tn oi?a
? (,"v i?i .
1 Tucker (henceforth Mr., as military
titles have little pull with me) equal
opportunity,' I will paraphrase his
editorial.
Mr. Tucker begins by saying it is
5 very comforting to know two resisters
r have been jailed, but it is not enough,
5 so the government should jail all
1 499,998 remaining lawbreakers. Mr.
Tucker cites religious and moral
t grounds for resistance as "convenient
cop-outs" and further states their real
1 reason for resistance is rooted in their
? collective disrespect for American
5 principles, as they are cowards. In
addition, Mr. Tucker offers the nuhlir
the comforting knowledge that a
j conscientious objector won the Medal
5 of Honor in World War II without
, lifting a weapon.
J IN SUMMATION, Mr. Tucker calls
' all claims to resistance invalid based
* on his 12 years as a Marine, and
1 should the time come when he has to
die for the Constitution he has sworn
to protect and defend, he hopes the
l half-million criminals won't be enjoying
the liberties thev treat so
casually. Pretty heavy, huh?
While a student at the University of
i Virginia in 1973, I had the pleasure of
5 attending an economics lecture
' presented by a grandfatherly
professor whose name escapes
memory, yet whose message comes to
mind when the yearly defense budgets
Iare presented to Congress or when I
hear or read the brave, bold, brassy
off-the-wall line of "real American"
slop espoused by the warrior class. I
will paraphrase it for your convenience
and mine..."the military
contributes nothing to the Gross
National Product, they merely feed
off the fat of the lamb." How true.
Politicians and warriors speak in
"glittering generalities" to obscure
the specifics that offer real truths.
The specifics of this year are too, too
many to be enumerated, yet Mr.
Tucker is content on picking the bones
of the few...the proud...the resisters in
an attempt that can only be likened to
nn nnA U? * s -i *
an a^fc u^auu^ iua UiCSl III it SHOW UI
fierce provocation. In a country of
functional illiterates, it i3 quite
possible that the vast majority would
stand in perfect formation with Mr.
Tucker and beat on their chest (until
red, white and blue) in a futile show of
ferocity.
*an defends draf
ivik. rutkkk is quicK to label our
resisters criminals, yet has done so
without giving much attention to the
events of Wounded Knee, My Lai,
Munich, Auschwitz, the Katyn forest,
Sabra or Chatilla. Please don't be
surprised at his lack of genuflection.
It is a common trait of young hardcharging
company grade officers to
charge hell bent for leather into the
foray without foresight.
The murder of weaponless innocents
is often rationalized with the
words "protect and defend" (no
matter what language) which is a
"convenient coD-out." Mr. Tucker
wants the criminals jailed ? what
about Nixon or Carmichael (a homegrown
crook)? It is obvious where Mr.
Tucker's priorities lie.
Is it any wonder only 500,000 individuals
refused to follow the grim
reaper to the U.S. Post Office? I am
not surprised by the half-million men
of conscience or reason who refuse to
hecome part of the ungodly exercises
in death. There is no heaven or hell,
and there is no comfort in bloody
death. The sacrifice of one or 500,000
souls won't defeat the forces of evil at
home or abroad.
Thp r*?al onpmv ic Hs>uth and
* ??V/ a X/Ma iu vtvvt v?af M?>\4 mv
real friend is life. The real enemy is a
government that knowingly falsifies
enemy troops' strengths in an effort to
keep the war machine rolling. A real
friend is knowledge, the knowledge
that governments no longer reflect
the hopes and aspirations of the man
on the street, but, rather, reflect the
narrow-minded wants of big business.
I refuse to swallow the tripe put on by
Ronnie Raygun and the warrior class.
MY ATTITUDE is summed up in
e.e. cuiiiiiiings poein, i ding 01 uiai
Glad and Big."
i sing ofolafglad and big
whose warmest heart recoiled at war:
a conscientious object-or
his well beloved colonel (trig
westpointer most succinctly bred)
took erring olaf soon in hand;
but ? through a host of overjoyed
noncoms {first knocking on the head
him) do through icy waters roll
that helplessness which others stroke
with brushes recently employed
aren't his muddy toilet bowl
while kindred intellects evoke
allegiance per blunt instruments ?
olaf (being to all intents
a corpse and wanting any rage
uyun wnai uoa unto mm gave)
responds without getting annoyed
"I WILL NOT KISS YOUR F...ING
FLAG"
straightway the silver bird looked
grave
(departing hurriedly to shave)
but ? though all kinds of officers
(a yearning nation's blueeyed pride)
their passive prey did kick and curse
until for wear their clarion
voices and boots were much the
worse,
and egged the firstclass privates on
*?rrrr, ? r;. r
iOIMfi to
t resisters
his rectum wickedly to tease
by means of skillfully applied
bayonets roasted hot with heat ?
olaf (upon what were once knees)
does almost ceaselessly repeat
"there is some s... I will not eat"
our president, being of which
assertions duly notified
threw the yellow sonofabitch
into a dungeon where he died
Christ (of This mercy infinite)
i pray to see; and olaf too
preponderatingly because
unless statistics lie he was
more brave than me; more blond than
you.
It is my profound hope that Mr.
Tucker gets his chance to lay his life
on the line for his country in some
foreign clime in an effort to get the
Medal of Honor, which is the same as
golfing a 72 or batting a .500 in
baseball. Arlington is awaiting him
and if that is full, well there is always
the newly-constructed cemetery at
MCB Quantico, Va.
Mr. Tucker will be proud to know
the defense establishment could care
less if he dies for his country... there's
more where that came from. 500,000plus
resisters and I could care less
also, excepting we won't appreciate
having to pay for the upkeep of his
r%1
piui.
MR. TUCKER would have us
believe that "real Americans" will
not condone the action of the halfmillion
resisters. Wrong, Mr. Tucker.
Real Americans can forgive and
forget. My kin came to America as
Quakers in the early 1700s. Greatgreat
grandad fought against Confederate
forces at Pea Ridge, Mo.
Hrnnt 1 * 1 1 '
vii cat gi duuau was musuiru gassen in
World War I with the AEF. Grandad
fought "Japs" in WWII and my
Marine officer father (33 years)
fought Chicoms in Korea and Viet
Cong in 'Nam.
I am a disabled vet and cannot see
the logic of using the draft as a
geopolitical instrument. I want to be
an old man like my 85-year-old
grandpa. I'm sure the 500.000
resisters have the same desires. I will
not throw my life into the fire for the
Republicans or Democrats. I don't
expect anyone to. As recent as Oct. 20,
Ronnie Raygun has attributed increased
military enlistment to
nationalist fervor and not massive
unemployment. SNAFU!
Nov. 11 marks the commemoration
of the Vietnam memorial in
Washington, D.C. The names of the
dead and missing have been etched
into the black stone that is to serve as
the reminder of our heroic police
action. If we could ask the dead what
they think of our efforts to glorify
f** lncc ? am J L
?V?. .vw, a. am v?l Willi lllCJf VVUUIU
for another chance and refuse to be
manipulated.
Mark B. Ellis
Journalism senior ,