The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, January 21, 1985, Page Page 6, Image 6
Setback
County Council turns
Leave it to Richland County Council to t
turn its back on the city of Columbia.
At least that's what it's doing by refusing i
j to approve a bond issue to pay for part of the 8
proposed performing arts center. i
Mayor Kirkman Finlay criticized the coun- i
cil's 7-4 decision to reject a $5 million bond c
issue to help pay for the $15 million facility
by saying the council "made a mistake <
| because of the signals it sends toward the t
future rnnrse of this mfctronolitan area." t
Finlay also pointed out that county's ac- i
tual contribution would have dropped to $3 j
million because of a provision which requires
a $200,000 a year payment to the county i
from a reat tax or a USC fund. ]
It's hard to believe Council can't shell out
less than one-third of the funds needed to
construct an arts center the city sorely needs.
The city's current facilities are ill-suited for
the kind of productions found in a growing
metropolitan area. Council, in effect, is saying
that the fine arts aren't worth the money
to improve the cultural aura of our city.
? i i r a i
jay encouraging me development 01 me
arts, the city, and county, could reap the
benefits of industries attracted to the area. A
city healthy in cultural and civic aspects
reflects continued growth and prosperity.
County Council Chairwoman Leone
Castles exemplifies the backwardness of the
new council's decision. She claims the
average Columbia taxpayer doesn't want to
spend the money on the arts center. Castles
prefers to spend tax dollars on indigent care
and improving the city's sewer system. Furthermore,
Council recently approved the
funds to construct a new police and fire sta
>
Subway hero emi
i i 'H iiiniimilH 1
a I
Managing editor i
<
]
So you want to be a hero? It's really quite simple,
nraiii/ta/l iiaii liot/n an urtli/>?ricar1 nun onrl n caHlctip
vjviulu jfuu uavv an uiiiiwiisvu 5UU auu a .lauiout
streak the length of the New York City subway
system.
At least that's all it took for "Death Wish" gunman
Bernard Goetz, who gunned down four
teenagers aboard a Manhattan subway train after
they allegedly harrassed him and asked him for $5
on Dec. 22.
Support for this man has been enormous. Shortly
after the incident the NY Daily News took a poll
among its readers ? 71 percent voiced support for
Goetz.
JOAN RIVERS sent him a telegram in jail offering
money to help pay for his defense, and she sign_j
1 <1 1 1.: ?> J:
CU 11 IUVC UIIU KlaaCs. ^UlUCUldll rUMCI U1UUA3
told Goetz that he would give him the $50,000 needed
to bail himself out of jail. Goetz refused the
offer.
And Sen. Alfonse IVAmato, R-N.Y., told a
Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday that he
would be willing to testify as an "expert witness"
about the dangers of riding the subway. The media
Student Legislature
To the Editor: reservation of st
USC Students are invited to ex- supersedes and ov<
press their opinion to key state of federal pre-em;
legislators Tuesday, Feb. 14 in the that might be rea
Russell House. merce or suprema*
We feel that the South Carolina U.S. Constitution
state legislature should not raise Court has so
the minimum age for the purchase amendment on s<
ctf alcoholic beverages to 21 at this Indianapolis Brev
time. Our opposition is grounded quor Comm., 30:
in constitutional objections to the constitutionality c
I validity of Latenberg Amendment, is currently being
23 USC Par. 158, and sincere federal lawsuit foi
doubts about the relative effec- injunctive relief, !
tiveness of this legislation. hon. Elizabeth
The 21st amendment to the 84-5137 (D. Sou
United States Constitution, Sept. 21, 1984).
abolished prohibition and reserved We would urge
the power to regulate the sale and to join its sister st
transport of alcohol to the states, would be hasty to
This "states' rights" power does to conform with
not derive from constitutional of dubious consti
theories proportedly disproved by injunction "per
the Civil War, but in an express issued by the fe
a i t
down fund proposa
ion and to purchase new fire engines.
This is all well and good, but if we are to
mprove our city, can we ignore its total
ispect? Industries are attracted to a city that
s not only a well-oiled, smoothly running
nachine, but to a city interested in its whole
:haracter.
County Council should look upon the
:enter's construction as an investment into
he future. By spending a small amount now,
:he Columbia metropolitan area can hope to
attract new industry which will provide even
greater monetary returns.
The city is willing to provide the land for
such an endeavor. The university is willing to
i .*n? j r
provide million in uonauons iruin a
private donor and has agreed to pay the
maintenance and operating costs. Is Council
willing to pay its "fair share?"
Charleston is a prime example of a city interested
in preserving and fostering the
cultural aspects of its people.
With its Spoleto Festival, a worldrenowned
cultural event, the city is attracting
not only members of its immediate area
but also tourists from all over the country.
Charleston was willing to take that gamble to
support the arts, and, speaking only in
monetary terms as is Leone Castles, has beer
handsomely rewarded.
But we cannot speak only in terms ol
money. In order to make money, we must attract
industry. In order to do this, we musl
spend money on indigent care, sewers anc
Fire engines. But we also need to spend to im
prove our education ? in the schools and ir
the theatre.
Leslie Dunson, editor in chie^
barrasses U.S.
tas interpreted this statement as one of support f<
he vigilante.
Meanwhile, one of the teenagers remaii
lospitalized in a coma, and doctors are not o
imistic about his recovery. The other three ha
;ince been released; one has already been charged
:onnection with another crime.
Something is terribl^grrong.
ON FiuDAY, as 6he of Goetz' victims lay dyir
another facet of thcggpsc came out that m<
Americans seem to be ignoring.
Goetz allegedly told New Hampshire police in 1
:onfession he was sorry he did not do more to 1
/ictims, several New York newspapers reported.
44I would have kept shooting had I not run out
bullets," he told police. The papers also quoted hi
as saying he wished he had gouged out the eyes
ne of his victims. *
These are the words of a man the nation has ei
braced as the "model American," one whose fe
of crime and lack of faith in the police force ma
him take the law into his own hands.
BUT SHOOTING to kill and instant dej
sentences are not the law anywhere in the Unil
States. When Bernard Goetz took the law into
own hands, he reached too far.
There is nothing noble about the Subw
Vigilante. He wanted to kill his victims and
remorseful that he did not fulfill his goal. Two
the youths were shot in the back as they ran aw
and Goetz reportedly shot one of the youths ag
when he struggled to his feet.
His gun, acquired after he was first assaultet
the subway several years ago, was unlicensed.
And he fled.
THIS IS a hero? Apparently so. A public th
"mad as hell and not going to take it anymore"
overwhelmingly decided to vindicate Goetz.
So, go ahead, make his day. Build a monum
to this man. Give him a Congressional Medal
Honor and throw him a ticker-tape parade. J
remember that real life isn't a Charles Bron
movie.
i
battling drinkini
ate power that State of South Carolina will i
irrides any claim risk of losing highway fundi
ption or control the issue is finally determined
d into the com- bably in the U.S. Supreme
cy clauses of the in three or four years.
i. The Supreme We believe that raisinj
interpreted the drinking age is neither the
(vwal ncrasinns fnir rmr nine! m*?h.
ving Co. v. Li- reducing the number of al
5 U.S. 391. The related fatalities and accidei
if this federal law our state's highways,
challenged in a It is already clear that the
r declaratory and not enforceable and has a les
South Dakota v. $0 percent compliance rale i
H. Dole, No. 18 year olds.
th Dakota filed
It has not been conclusive
: South Carolina ven that raising the drinkb
ateinthiscase.it reduced highway fatii
adopt a state law (Bleiberg, Sober Second th
a federal statute Barrons, September 24,
tutionality. If an Had these laws been eff
idente lite" is some downward adjustment
deral court, the surance rates for the affect
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USC trium|
Even if the predictions in George
Orwell's novel, "1984," didn't
come true, they did add an air of
foreboding to the year. So what is
in store for the University of South
Carolina this year? Considering
or the triumphs and tragedies of lasl
year, 1985 should prove to be
ns interesting.
P- 1984 saw the USC community
ye grow and prosper, and I do mean
in prosper. We saw Ronald Reagan
and his security personnel twice,
03mething a university has
xlonc (and may never want to dc
ig. again.) r, !|
>st fw^The university sponsored ?
Caribbean conference that adde9
lis to many conversations. Despite the
lis $30,000 spent on a tent for the
Caribbean leaders and the "rubof
ber" chicken VIPs ate at a dinner
im in their honor, USC did get its
of name on the map ? or rather in
the fifth paragraph of the New
m- York Times (whichever you con>ar
sider more important.)
de
THE SUMMIT FUND begar
and students were offered th<
*th privilege of giving money foi
ted scholarships, at registration n<
his less.
Miss USC, Vicki Harrell
'ay stumbled over her name on na
is tional TV in the Miss Ameria
of Pageant. The Gamecock footbal
ay, team stumbled out of its bes
a season ever in a rather disappoin
ting game at the Gator Bowl ii
1 in Jacksonville.
Ennis Rees, a USC English pro
fessor, was named South Carolin:
poet laureate, while Berni
at's Dunlap, another English pro
has fessor, won an international awari
for one of his films.
ient Jesse Jackson graced us with hi
I presence at a voter's registratioi
lust rally, and Joe Morrison, wa
n nominated for the presidenc
(unofficially.)
setters
) age increase
un no group would be expected. No sue
i until adjustments have been propose
I, pro- or made.
Court Alternative methods of reducin
uiesc iaiauues ana accidents ma
g the produce superior results withov
most the discriminatory impact of th
od for law.
cohol- In closing, it is important I
nts on remember that, according to poli<
reports, 99.4 percent of 19 and 2
law is year olds are never involved in a
s than alcohol-related inciuem (may, .
imong Student's View, Journal (
Alcohol and Drug Dependence
The burden of punishment ahoul
ly pro- fall on the guilty, not the innocen
ng age
ilitiei
oughs, William Htsi
1984). Law stMl
ective,
t in in- Twif &
ed age Journalism 9m
ic Gomecodi
r^i hi A
UlUll/
rtfWVVto \
Kw \A
JHK iill11 \1J I I 1 * -/tw "
p I , J I I I M *
phs despite ti
USC won and lost in two law
suits filed by ex-coaches. Pam Par- i
sons, ex-basketball coach for the 1
i Lady Gamecocks, lost her case 1
i \
Pj
f 1 Marisa Pcrto ,
Wire I Opinion editor j
against Time Inc. for the story
"Stormy Weather at Carolina,"
' which said she made recruiting
1 violations and had an affair with
' one of her players.
The Gamecock "beat the hell
out of" certain groups who felt
i that the "Low Brass Cheer"
5 shouldn't be played at football
r games. And USC's football team
> won against Clemson, 22-21, in
Death Valley, breaking Clemson's
, 24-game winning streak on home
turf.
i As far as tragedies go, this year
i hasn't been easy on USC students
t or their parents*: Bobbi Rossi, a
sophomore in nursing, was kidi
napped, raped and murdered by
three men ? one of whom has announced
his intention to file an
a appeal.
e
i. Phillip Zeltner, a philosophy ini
structor, held a student hostage in
USC President. James Holders
man's office until he could speak
n to "Mr. Knozit" (local television
s personality Joe Pinner) but he
V killfd himself All of ?hi? hwause
he did not get tenure.
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ragedies
THE UNIVERSITY shelled out
nore money after settling the
awsuit with ex-football coach
-j :?u i DaII ...un .....
\ltuaiu DCIl, W11U w?3 A li vU
jccause he refused to fire an
issistant.
And the conditions of USC livng
quarters were debated after
University Terracc residents complained
about safety hazzards.
And what about 1985?
A long line was seen outside th^
Carolina Coliseum for tickets to
:he Bruce Spriflgbteen concert.
Itiar imwfcmmr forswnetWnffW
H
THERE'S A flQpor on campus
that Jimmy Buffet might show up '
in support of the Summit Fund
and as far as rumors go, a Journalism
conference (sometime in
March) may also include William
F. Buckley in the line-up of
notables.
The English department may bring
Steven King and Peter Straub
to the writer's series and in
February, Eddie Murphy may bring
his four-letter-word act to the
The idea of an arts center was
shot down once again after a recent
meeting of Columbia city officials.
But then again, the city
doesn't need art anyway. Or does
it?
The USC men's basketball team
beat the number three team in the
nation, Memphis State, and then
lost to Virginia Tech.
ON A more somber note, three
USC students died over Christmas
break in a tragic train accident.
Well, it's been "one hell of a
year." And despite the tragedies
and triumphs, we made it through.
Whether or not we like it, 1985 is
here to stay ? at least for another
341 days. "Let's try and make it a
good one."
imecoch
Tkt (Umecock wilfww letters an4 gueet
k5^?. AB letters and guest edftoriab must be
i.yis-ipotod on s 65-tpM*-8fte.
Utters should be no ktngsr than 300 words and '
worthy iiitysct no k<nger titan four typed paoaa.
Lattara tad gasat editorials MU8T it signed wvtli
tl^a writa's nen^o# tdipkiai wiasfc(jj Rdlh| ad*
draas, dua standing or fecufty poeMon and Major.
Pseudonyms ara unacceptable, but the writer's
Mwr ffviy bi wftthhoW upoti rujutst if tha cir*
cwutiAcai waiiast.
We taaarva tha right to adH gueet adHoriaia and
lattara.
Address tottars and columns to: Opinion Pago
EdHar, fit Saawtw*, Drawer A, U8C, Ceh?*k
S.C. 29206.
f| winr?l lii tt U ?
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M Rogers Ren Bacfcsasn
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