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? Page 4 - June 27, 1984 ' * / 1 QpHIIOil THE GAMECOCK Legislature needs own drinking law A \ / r^?r?L' D i ln\; nnnn rinninn t U Uill ? * 1- ? VJV/V. i\iivaiglllllg 11IC U1II IdlMllg IIIC legal drinking age for beer and wine, said it would "help save the lives of our young people." Riley's concern, although sincere, may have been misdirected. Excessive use of alcohol does occur on campuses and in high schools. But it also happens a lot closer to the governor's office. In particular, it happens on the foor of the statehouse. The soft drink cans 1 ! _ I _ A 1 J 1 _ J ^ _ - ^ * on legislators ucsks aon i always coniain <^oKe, or Sprite, or Dr. Pepper. Because many USC students work as pages, stories of alcohol abuse at the State House inundate the campus. There's the one about a page, under 21 years old, sent to the liquor store and, after dropping the right name, was sold bottles of Smirnoff and Gilbert's with few or no questions asked. And there's the one about the student aide who plays bartender in downstairs rooms with liquor provided by hopeful lobbyists. (Some of these aides may drink while they mix, but somehow no one seems to notice.) And, of course, there's the rumor that the special r i i i i i - t ? i ? ^unuay liquor license legislation supped oy only because many legislators had overindulged. These are less than perfect examples for underage constituents ? constituents whom the legislators seem so interested in protecting from the evils of alcohol. These are the men and women who decided that an 18 year old may marry, sign legal contracts and be drafted, but may not, cannot, and will not buy a cold beer on a hot July day. These are the same men and women who decided last week to let 18-year olds work in bars they Can't Of ht'rwisp an fn Draiuino a ^loor llna - - - ~ ? j-, v . i^iunnig u v.ivai iflll. Utl WCCII work and play, one might say. The same guardians of morality also managed to let die a resolution that would have prohibited drinking on the floor. Such behavior does nothing to convince teenagers that drinking too much is socially unacceptable, not to mention unhealthy. But maybe legislators don't share Gov. Riley's cuncern aooui young people. Maybe, as has been suggested by other sources, the "sin bill" was only a re-election ploy on behalf of these "gentle"men and iigentle"women. Or maybe, as in the case of the Sunday liquor license, the legislators were not coherent enough to realize how ridiculous raising the drinking age, especially without a grandfather clause, must seem when confronted by their examples. Students should not be despondent, however, horaiisp thprf U a wav to "hMn savp liv^c" r?f our elected representatives. Young people affected by the new laws should express their concern about our legislators to Gov. Riley ? perhaps a maximum drinking age is in order. Gamecock Editor in Chief j Leslie J. Ounson News Editor Marisa Porto Copy Editor Herb Reeves Asst. News Editor Hal Hewell General Manager Ron Emler Entertain. Editor Robert O'Connor Ad Manager Ron Emler Sports Editor Tracy Mixson Business Manager Carolyn Griffon Oateline Editor Margarita Pate Production Mgr Mark McEwan rnoto taiior urew rearson liraduate Asst Wanda M. Hite Copy Editor Ann Farmer Adviser Mark Ethridge Jr. Newsroom 7777181 Advertising 7774249 Business Office 777 3888 P/oduction 777 2833 The Gsmecock welcomes letters and guest editorials. All letters and guest editorials must be typewritten, triple-spaced on a 65-space line. Letters should 1)6 no longer than 300 words and guest editorials should be limited to one nowsworthy subject no longer than four typed pages. Letters and guest editorials MUST be signed with the writer's name, telephone number, mailing ad H/a?? rla?? ?tanrfinn nr far.ultv nosition and maior. Psmirtnnvm* ar? nnarrantnhlo but the writer's name may be withheld upon request if the circumstances warrant. I We reserve the right to edit guest editorials and letters. jj f Address letters and columns to: Opinion Page Editor, Gamecock, Drawer A, USC, I Columbia, S.C. 29208. * 11 LrlWh ?nv- tp i. ^r/T \\ fc/ ^ Let SG president neglic To the Editor, In the six years that I have been a student at USC, I have oeen lorceci 10 watcn our student uo:yci nmeni move ever deeper into the sphere of control of the university's administration. Increasingly, SG has aligned itself with the policies originating in the Osborne Building while growing more insensitive to the needs and interests of the students that it supposedly represents. SG President Glenn German's decision to commit the student body to a $100,000 contribution to the vniversity's Summit Fund symbolizes the final abandonment of even the pretense of independent, representative student government at USC. Whilp I hplipvp that f hp Qlirnmit C,.r>^ ir n : ?? ~ f - >.? > >>>V ^uiniiui t unu is a ?VUI lliy piUJCCl U1 the administration and a necessary response to declining support for the i niversity within the legislature, Mr. German's proposal is fundamentally flawed. He has acted outside the scope of his authority, severely compromised the relationship between the students and the university and introduced a divisive and unnecessary source of controversy to university life. Mr. German can point to no explicit or reasonably implied authority to initiate this project, which is termed Student Government's most important of the year. This places it well ahead of controlling tuition costs or the issues mentioned by the SG president in his recent campaign. The Student Senate never voted on the proposal, nor were any of its committees properly empowered to do so. No resolution, motion or report was ever approved for action on this subject. Its creation is the result of unilateralaction by the president, taken without the approval of the senate or the student body. It is a raw, unconstitutional usurpation of legislative power taken while neither the senate not the campus court is capable of doing anything about it. It could be an impeachable offense and would be were not the final action on any such proposal to t a I'P nla/io /v^. J a < * - I J ? ' - 1 ?1 nr" uii ricsiuciu noiucnnan s uesK.i ne action violates Art. 2, Sect. 2 (1) and Art. 3, Sect 1 of the SG Constitution. The $100,000 proposal severely compromises the relationship between USC and its students. 11 possesses at least the appearance of bribery and extortion. It is possible that soon students and student organizations will be measured by the tribute they lay at the administration's feet. Influence, prestige and access to university resources may come at a price that many individuals and clubs will be unable or unwilling to pay. Inevitably, lists will be kept and used while the definition of charity is awarded a new meaning. How voluntary can any rnntriKntiAn tU** ~ ? ? wv ttiivii nib is csuunsiieu oy me Muuent Government that controls the funding and licensure of student organizations and the contribution goes to an administrative fund drive originated by the university's most powerful officials, who control Student Government and the entire university? While I am sure that Mr. German acts from purely selfless motives in this decision, it is impossible to ignore the terrific personal advantages that will accrue to him when this enormous amount of money is delivered to the administration. I would be foolish, however, to believe that this single payment will nprmanpnilv incur* nnn^inlli ~e 1? ?i ? oi^ua v tuv guuumil \JI IIIC UU111111 IS 11 ell 10II toward Student Government or the student body at large. It is quite probable that next year will demand an even bigger -contribution. As the amounts grow and USC's reliance uoon them in creases proportionally, the probability that SG will have any discretion in deciding to organize a fund drive will decline. Likewise, as greater and greater amounts of money need to be raised, the voluntary nature of the contributions is liable to become increasingly compromised. Eventually, the Summit Fund trick or treater will probably show up with a machine gun and a tractor trailer. M* IS^S 981Pjj^ j^ ^ TFr^nS'??!?' vv ?iljai : " ? / ters lent, student says The university claims but two types of student organizations. The largest group is neither Organized for or capable of ceneratinc sienifirant rharitahlf* rnntrihntir*r?c fnllprtino dues from hard pressed members to pay SG's mounting revenue requirements and pay their ordinary expenses exhausts their capacity to generate funds. Unable to pay the costs of remaining in good standing with the university, they will be forced to take the risks of not doing so. How great those risks are will only be known when decisions on funding, allocating space and block seating for athletic events are ( made. The second, much smaller group, is composed primarily of ..ais.i Uinta tinu M)iuiiuci wno raise cnaruy money lor public relations reasons. Most of these organizations are already committed to a full schedule of charity events to benefit retarded children, medical research or other charities. Faced with this new, possibly necessary alternative, it is possible that the children and other charities will go begging while interests closer to home are serviced. Who is prepared to assert that this fund is more important than cancer research or the needs of v crippled children? With the administration and SG backing the Summit Fund, 1 do not envy the position of the Heart Association or March of Dimes. The greeks, perhaps the LSC organization most susceptible to univeristy pressure, will be force to make very difficult decisions. Who could blame them for deciding to preserve their own interests? 11 would be the rational decision. This fund drive will divide the campus. Friction among student organizations orginating in the funding process will creep deeper as organizations that are able to raise the money incur the suspicion and distrust of those who cannot or will not. Every universitv decision will bp taintpH hv fo^r ?Wa? tho major consideration is recorded somewhere in a Summit Fund ledger book. The drive will become a referendum on both SG and the administration with embarrassing results, no matter what the outcome. The final result will be a USC more interested in money and less interested in education than the one that exists now. This $100,000, a mere drop in the Summit Fund bucket, will be torrent enough to drown some of what made USC great in the past. William Hamilton Third Year Law Student .1 ^ i *7 I di&L*! - - - ? - I 1-f 3? HWThtOrttiWl*** f ^ mm amkj ty???? 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