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Reagan's response best one possible Though many people may be disappointed in Reagan's response to the Soviet Union's brutal attack on the South Korean 747 that killed 269 people, his response was the best one possible under existing circumstances. In his nationally televised speech Monday night, Reagan called for a full account of the incident from the Soviets, urged compensation for families of the victims, canceled an agreement for transportation cooperation, sought help of other nations in restricting Soviet airlines' flights and suspended negotiations to open a U.S. consulate in Kiev and suspended cultural agreements. Canada has already limited Soviet flights. Notably missing from the response is the cancellation of the recently signed grain agreement with the Soviets. Though many Republicans and Democrats called for this action, Reagan showed good judgment in not taking their advice. Canceling the grain agreement would not have hurt U.S.S.R. Former President Carter tried this tactic when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, and the result was the bolstering of economies of nations willing to sell thern grain. Our farmers suffered, and the Soviets managed to get the grain the> needed. If Reagan could have convinced our allies to take part in the grain embargo, then one would have been in order. Without such cooperation, Reagar was limited to tough talk and some symbolic actions. And his speech was filled with tough talk. ?I_ 11__1 .1... ~ 1 r rtc eancu uie auacK. mi miuLiiy anu cuau saiv. { "this crimc against humanity must never be forgot ten." Reagan's talk was not only tough, but in thi; ease eorrect. Shooting down an innocent airliner is inex cusable. The Soviet reaction is even less excusable Each day, they have a new version of what happen ed. The current version is they did shoot the plant down, but it was a spyplane. Soviet claims that they thought the jetliner was ; spyplane, even though they tracked it for mor than two hours, would be laughable if there ha< not been such a horrendous loss of life. By not taking responsibility for their actions, th> Soviet leadership has exhibited contempt and scori for the world. The Soviet Union obviously felt the could act with impunity in the matter. Though thei grain deal may not have been voided, they are fin } ding their actions have consequences. Possibly, the most important consequence of thi savage attack is the long overdue awakening of th world to the true character of the Soviet Union government. The invasion of Afghanistan should have dor this, but Afghanistan is an exotic place to whic few people can relate. Killing 269 innocent peop; in a jetliner is a tragedy people can grasp. Blatant] lying about the situation is something else peop can understand. Claims that the Soviet Union is just like us ca !no longer be taken seriously. For all our nation faults, we have yet to shoot down an unarme passenger plan for trespassing into our airspace. Soviet jets constantly fly off-course, and 01 even managed to "stray" over a port where a ne nuclear submarine was being launched. T1 A rnmrtnco o turn mnnth rptf ru'tiMn r /"V 111.1 IV^cllI lL.ipuil.1V. CI IV?U 1UV1UII 1 V.Il 1 1V11V/II V Soviet flights. If there is anything to be learned from this situ tion, it is that we now have a clearer picture of tl kind of world we live in. Ironically, early I Reagan's administration he was critized for makii some harsh statements about the morals of t! Soviet leadership. After the barbaric act of killii 269 people, one can only conclude Reagan w right in his assesment. I Opinio On improprii "An athlete is in a goldfish bowl," tv\ rrvrA 1 In i\/nrc It*/ o t li 1 /it ir> / lirnr?t/>r V? U111VV.1 ^11) Cl I 1 I IV. I IV. Uil CVIVJI Hill McL.ellan said in a recent interview with The Tiger, Clemson's student newspaper. For years, those athletes who are involved in the money sports at Clemson, football and basketball, have enjoyed special privileges that are usually unavailable to other student-athletes on campus. Football and basketball players eat in private dining rooms, live in exclusive dormitories and arrange class schedules according to practice schedules, niceties non revenue participants are not anoweci to enjoy. Why are these available only to football and basketball players? McLellan 1 said since football and basketball practice requires more concentration and time than, say, tennis, golf or swimming, then money athletes, those who i play in the two major sports on camr pus, can't be expected to eat according to regular dining-hall schedules; hence, the necessity of a separate, private dining room. McLellan said swimmers, who swim milp aftAr milp pupru Hav snrfPr 5 players, who practice three and five - hours each session, and all other S "minor sports" players at Clemson should be able to eat at regularly scheduled hours. c i - "1 e v e IC is u HOW DO YOO FEEL ABOU BAOC-TO-SCHOOL SALES ? NT ?R fVWmiNOi 1 ij'tW. I WORWJU u IntercampuS eties in collet It's time McLellan owned up to the fact that his cash crops of football and basketball players are given special treatment to keep them nice and happy and performing to their peak. Conversely, McLellan should come out and say at Clemson, non-revenue athletes are second-class citizens so far as the athletic department is concerned. Since that is the case, why does the athletic department continue to field teams in sports McLellan is clearly unconcerned about? The answer is simple ? image. In 1982's final grade-point-ratio reports, the women's cross-country team led all Tiger teams with a 3.38 average GPR. It shouldn't be difficult to predict which teampuUed up the rear. The football team ended the year with the only average GPR below 2.0. The final score ? 1.98. It appears some sports are funded and keep their funding only for the GPR boost they offer to the entire athletic program. But the athletes who participate in these booster sports should be treated as well as those players who are here only to fill the athletic coffers of the university. The point is if McLellan insists on fielding teams only to boost the average GPR of his sports syndicate, then he should be willing to treat all his 1. ?c Copy Desk Chief News Editor Asst. News Editor Asst. News Editor Opinion Page Editor F Ent. Editor ? Sports Editor A Asst. Sports Editor \( I Wire Editor / I Photo Editor V f I Asst. Photo Editor Newsroom Business Office The Gamecock welcc editorials must be typew Letters should be no loi to one newsworthy sub . editorials MUST be sigru - dress, class standing or ?? > ( >" but the writer's name mi -??I (esetve the right t T f^RAYER IM Address letters anil col p ? Columbia, S C 29208 je athletics players ? revenue or non-revenue ? equally. The Tiger Clemson University Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, but not much else is sacred. Nowhere is that more evident than in amateur athletics. The amateur spirit ? that athletes were above money and other human failings ? founded the rebirth of the Olympic games. And on university campuses, amateur athletes were supposed to compete in an honorable fashion while studying to improve themselves. Fortunately, there is some regulation. Florida and other universities' athletic departments are regulated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which is supposed to keep the semblance of amateurism in college sports. The NCAA's biggest threat is forbidding teams from playing in money-making bowl games. Yet NCAA rules do little to curb the r?rr\fV?ccir?n?licm thut 1 i heilf*Jith t lie surface of amateurism. To prevent athletics from poisoning the campuses for which they were born, college presidents must restruc ture athletics or boot them off campus. The Alligator University of Florida iomecoch? 1 Editor in Chief Johnny Boggs j Curt Cottle Editor Mark Armstrong Chris Handal Co^ Edi,or Beverly Simmons Janet Edens CoPV Editor le,9h Jones Susan Muir ^opy Editor Alan Seirn | lien McCarthy LoPV tfl',or rK rarmG' I Julie Jameson Genaral Manager Ron Emler Jeff Rogers Ad Managur Linda S. Haines Andrew Miller Business Manager Jean Hatched Leslie Katz Production Mgr. Mark McEwan lary Ann Hollis Graduate Asst. Wanda M. Hite Joe Jackson Adviser Mark Ethridge Jr. 777 7181 Advertising 777 4249 777 3888 Production 777 2833 imes letters and guest editorials. All letters and guest intten, triple spaced on a 65 space line nger than 300 words and guest editorials shouli' ne limited ject no longer tnan tour typed pages letters j'ul guest ad with the writer's name, telephone numhe< mailing ad faculty position and major. Pseudonyms are unacceptable, ay he withheld upon request if the circumstances warrant, o edit guest editorials and letters umns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock, Drawer A, USC,