The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 18, 1985, Page 4, Image 4
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THE GAllcOCK Monday, November 18, 1985
Summit
Neither sii
The nuclear age breeds in al
fear of nuclear war. Many beli<
to prevent such a holocaust is t<
between the world's two sup<
United States and the Soviet U
It is not surprising, then,
Americans viewing the upcom
ween President Reagan and G
Mikhail Gorbachev with hope I
trol agreement. The central issi
is the attempt to limit nuclear;
the country, people are saying
time," and "we have a real
agreement."
Sadly enough, however, tl
unrealistic.
The chances for a breakthroi
trol are slim ? the time is too si
blem is too complex. Both sides
such things as how the weaj
counted, and neither Reagan n
educated enough on the as
Planned Pa
A very grateful thank you to
Mr. Kudelka for his report on the
pro-life lecture by Dr. J.C.
Willke. I am writing, though, in
response to the comments made
by Ms. Lois Park, director of information
and education at Planned
Parenthood of Columbia.
Her emotional appeal and scare
tactics, along with her
misrepresentation of the facts,
cannot go unanswered.
A year ago, I would have
glanced over the article and made
an offhand comment about the
radical pro-lifers. But I was
?I .l. ;
maiiciigcu iu cAuiiuiic uie issue
for myself and was startled by
what 1 found. Perhaps a few corrections
and amplifications of
Ms. Park's statements will illustrate
my point.
''We would return to the days
whin many wditien were" butchered
and scarred." There are
no solid figures anywhere that
back up the claims that
thousands of women were killed
before making abortion legal in
1973. In fact, before the Roe vs.
Wade decision in 1973, the figure
was only 45 women for the entire
year, you would nave to go clear
Letters policy
needs changing
To the editor:
If there is any logic in your letters
policy, it eludes me.
I have written two letters to the
editor that were published in The
Gamecock. Both were brief, and
both were nonsensically edited.
This was somewhat disturbing,
since they were well under your
rn/?/?nn?A^ 1CA I ?
jju-wuiu maximum.
Your letters policy states that
all letters will be printed and that
all are "subject to editing."
Why? It sounds suitable for the
letters section in Pravda or the
student newspapers in Cape
Town, South Africa, but not for
the freedom-loving among us at
use.
Neither The State newspaper
nor the Record cut letters when
they fall under the maximum
number of words suggested.
Newspapers have generally
recognized that letters to the
editor are only cut if they are too
long or contain libels. You, too,
should do this out of courtesy to
the letter writer; a person's opinion
doesn't fall under the same
ax as a story on the parking problem.
The letters policy should be
amended to state that letters will
Sond lie i
What do you think about? We'
If you have an opinion you'd I
the Carolina community, send
Gamecock.
Letters must be typed, double sp
the writer's name and telephone r
writer can be reached for vcrifica
should include whether the writer
member or a member of the comr
de should have
most everyone a control.
2ve the only way "Success at
o establish peace measured by a
jrpowers ? the may be signed
'nion. passage of tim
to find many structed a dura!
ing summit bet- The president
cnciai otxi ciary Miuauon oeuer
for an arms con- with arms cont;
le on the agenda tually nothing \
arms. All across A more realis
"it is the right relations betwec
chance for an be set at this sui
trol negotiation
tiese hopes are Perhaps both
will be lost duri
lgh in arms con- be a step backvi
lort and the pro- "My expectat
differ widely on just be glad to s
pons should be things over an
or Gorbachev is damage," form
pects of arms said.
renthood did
back to the 1940s, in the prepenicillin
era without the advantages
of modern medicine, before
the figure of 1,000 a year even
begins to faintly resemble Planned
Parenthood's favorite emotional
appeal. This is in no way
meant to play down the 45 tragic
deaths, only to point out the
substantial lack of accurate information
that is currently bandied
about.
"When abortions were illpoal
women went to people who performed
abortions using unclean
facilities and were sometimes
under the influence of alcohol."
Is that a fact? Does this mean
that Ms. Park would now recommend
the sleazy, legal, storefront
abortion operations, which are
nothing more than pure profit
icenters? And can she guarantee
that the doctors who are performing
these operations now are
completely sober? This kind of
verbiage is pure emotionalism,
completely skirting the issue of
whether or not the unborn is
"just fetal tissue" or, in fact, a
living human being.
Ms. Park also points out that
most abortions are done within
:c .I I
uv. (.uiltu 19 nicy rtic ll)U lUIlg.
In any case, the editing that is
done is strangely arbitrary. Today's
Gamecock featured a letter
concerning WUSC's radio programming
that is at least 1,400
words long.
My second letter also contained
two typographical errors when
it was published last week. If I
take the time to write a ietter to
the editor, could an editor take
the time to proofread it before
publishing? This is the way a big
people's newspaper works.
Ivi ? i Li.
i u givt. anjruiiiig iu UC ciUIC IU
help out on The Gamecock, but
two jobs and a full course load
kept me from it. I only have the
time for an occasional letter.
Paul Perkins
Journalism senior
West coddles
South Africa
To the editor:
This letter is in response to a
letter that appeared in the Nov. 6
issue of The Gamecock. The letter's
author, Mr. Stephen Drake,
expressed views similar to a certain
Rev. Jerry Falwell.
Mr. Drake claims President
Reagan is being very noble in
a letter
d like to know. All letters arc j
like to share with for space and cU
a letter to The unless by specia
returned.
aced, and include
lumber where the Neither the
tion. Letters also necessarily expn
is a student, staff Send your 1<
nunity. Drawer A, Russ
%5
false hopes
the summit should not be
ny short-term agreements that
warned Reagan. "Only the
e will tell us whether we conble
bridge to a safer world."
t could not have summed up the
. If both sides go to the summit
rol as their only goal, then virvill
be accomplished.
tic goal would be for improved
;n the two countries. A tone can
mmit that might help arms cons
at future summits.
sides should just hope nothing
ing the summit ? that it won't
/ard instead of forward.
lions are rather modest. I would
ee them meet, shake hands, talk
id come away without much
er Secretarv nf Hpan Ruck
not tell cot
the first 12 weeks. Perhaps we
need to ask, "What development,
if any, takes place inside
the mother during this time?"
Vital things do, such as a heartbeat
at 18 days, all body functions
present and functioning at
eight weeks, thumb-sucking at
eight weeks, and the child's moving
around on its own at six to
seven weeks.
Because of the tremendous advances
of the science of fetology,
lira bn/\in Un**- * ** ? ? * '?- A
"v Miun IIICIC 19 UVJ quouun mat
the child, even before 12 weeks,
not only feels pain, but also tries
to escape it if a foreign object ?
such as an abortion instrument ?
invades its tiny world.
But perhaps the most damning
statement of all is the reference to
abortion being legal after 24
months. This is only a half-truth.
The ruling of Roe v. Wade in
1973 and subsequent rulings
define the legality of abortion: 1)
No legal restrictions at all on
abortion in the first three months.
2) No restrictions from then
until "viability," a totally subjective
term, except for those needed
to make the procedure safer for
the mother. 3) Abortion is allowctonrlinn
nr* fnr
tiiMiiumg u|/ i vi iuv visual V CI 11IC
blacks in South Africa. Mr.
Reagan is standing up for black
South Africans' welfare about as
much as Bull Connor stood up
for the welfare of black
Americans in the 1960s. Because
South Africa's mineral resources
are extremely important to the
Western world, the leaders of the
West's two greatest powers, the
United States and Great Britain,
publicly coddle the racist South
African government.
Mr. Drake's letter also contained
some more short-sighted
views about U.S. involvement in
South Africa. How in the world
can blacks be benefiting more
from U.S. companies when the
South African government controls
all the distribution of profits
from those companies?
The blacks who work for U.S.
comnanies mav nr mnv not av.
plotted as much as blacks working
for South African companies,
but they are still being exploited.
The money earned cannot prevent
them from being forced to
live in barren, desolate
"homelands." The money earned
also cannot replace the one
basic right free human beings
should have: the right to vote and
have a voice in decisions concerning
them. Also, the companies
doing business in South Africa
printed, and are subject to editing
irity. Names will not be withheld,
1 exception. Letters will not be
letters nor the guest editorials
sss the views of The Gamecock.
;tter to: Editor, The Gamecock,
ell House, Columbia, S.C. 2922S.
Cotooe Projj Service
nplete story
cd until birth if one licensed
physician judges it neccssary for
the mother's health.
The legal documents allow
tremendous opportunities for the
abortionists. "Health," as defined
by the courts, can mean
almost anything: "Physical,
psychological, familial, woman's
age, her future, stigma of unwed
motherhood." So 1 take issue
with Ms. Park's statement and
say that without question we have
abortion on demand right up until
birth.
My issue with Planned Parenthood
is that they do not tell the
whole story. How would the
statistics change if the mothers
were informed about both sides
of the issue before making the
decision? How many women
pregnant at eight weeks have
been told that not only does the
baby inside them have a heartbeat,
but also that they can actually
hear it beat? This is acCOmDlished
with an nltrA?r?nir?
stethoscope ? present on every
maternity floor of every hospital.
And finally, Ms. Park's statement:
"It (abortion) should not
be mandated by government of
are not there to give blacks better
jobs or working conditions by
any stretch of the imagination.
They are there because apartheid
provides a cheap slave-labor
force that can be exploited to the
fullest under the guise of better
conditions.
Mr. Drake spoke of the
drought plaguing South Africa as
if it could be a possible cause of
the disturbances. That statement
obviously comes from someone
who has not listened to or read a
single account of what is really
happening in South Africa.
The South African government
is not going to change as long as
this present administration and
the Mr. Drakes of America think
that pouring more money into
South Africa will benefit blacks
more than whites. The only
benefactors from that strategy
are the governments of South
Africa and the United States.
The land of South Africa
belongs to the millions of blacks
whose ancestors were born in
% South Africa, and not to the
rfnrp((iv?> nnrl nr?nr?cit?
^?
dants of colonists.
By the way, I'm not a left-wing
liberal either.
David B. Miller
Social work graduate
student
about abort
any level. I don't think one group
should make that decision for the
rest of the country." I would remind
her of the vote by my fellow
Michiganites in the November
^ 1972 elections, whei popular
vote turned down by 63 percent a
referendum to allow abortion on
demand until 20 weeks. Then the
Supreme Court, nine people,
overruled that vote by the people
less than three months later, and
Michigan is now No. 2 in the nation
with state-funded abortions.
So who is kidding whom?
wnai ivis. farK ana tne rest 01
so-called "pro-choice" advocates
mean is that they don't want a
growing majority to understand
what truly takes place.
Before coming to graduate
school, my job allowed me the^
privilege of observing Vn8 par^ ~
ticipating in more than (jGfrmajor v
surgeries: orthopedics,
neurosurgery and obstetrics, including
live births. 1 was also occasionally
in on pre-operative
counseling between the surgeon
and the patienj.
The resounding theme in these
discussions was one of compassionate
frankness ? frankness,
Yesf I recall
the Li'l Bird
i ne li i tfira was USC's comic
newspaper, a thriving
underground success for a few
semesters before it went the way
of passenger pigeons and Burma
Shave signs.
I had forgotten it myself until a ,
week or so ago, when my annual '
plunder through the slag heaps of
my room revealed my small collection
of back copies, dated spring
and fall 1982 and spring 1983.
Glancing through at random, 1
come across headlines such as
"WUSC power increase to kill
millions," "Student explodes on
Greene Street," "Holderman
returns from Martian exchange,"
"USC secedes from union,"
"Beach music causes retardation"
and "Arafat to teach new
courses at USC."
One front-page story was
about the crew of the starship
Enterprise beaming down to
USC. Kirk told a Li'I Bird
reporter, "Get your autographs
now, because we are not coming
back."
One error-ridden issue announced
Jim Morrison's selection
as USC head football coach
~ complete with a photo,
discography and interview with
the rock singer who commented
on the exaggerated rumors of his
death. "It's Paul McCartney
Kdltor-iii-chkf
Ann Farmer
Maugiiig Editor
Tracy Mixson
*-opy urn cixr
Andy Duncan
AnUUat Copy Desk Chkf
Linda Taylor
Ncwa/Bunlae** Editor
Marlsa Porto
AMbla?t New* Editor*
Juliet Nader
Carl Dawson
Spotlight Editor
RonI Bea Kayne
Awistaat Spotlight Editor
Ed Chambllss
MOHMflHMMMHMHMnHnaailMHBi
I
#
ion issue
often, for legal reasons; compassion,
always, for humanitarian
reasons. Sometimes the truth was
painful, such as "You may not be
able to walk again" or "Your
chances of recovery are only 40
percent." But each time, before
the choice was made by the patient,
a thorough and complete
presentation of the known
medical facts was given by the A
surgeon. ^
1 do not believe Planned
Parenthood presents the full
story. In fact, I would argue that
it is because of the people who
give up their time ? such as Dr.
Willke, a practicing physician ?
that the true story is getting to
people such as myself. So my
voice, now joined in honest compassion
with the other pro-lifers,
calls out. "clamorina for a true Ifc .
choice among the potential victims
of misguided counseling.
But even more important, it is
one voice, laced with conviction
and based on fact, that attempts
to speak for those who have
neither a choice nor, it would
seem, a voice.
Mark A. Green
MIBS graduate
Andy *
Duncan
who's dead, not me."
One regular LiU Bird columnist
was psychic adviser Harry Green,
who "saw" the answer to
reader's questions. One reader
asked, "Dear Harry: I have
noticed a brown patch of skin on ?
my left thigh. What is it?" Harry
replied, "I see your heirs fighting
bitterly over your estate."
Rlif tranA/lu o I " nj f
wuv v? H5VUJ uvk iiic t-di # oira
staff, too, as reporter Joshia
Jones was mysteriously gunned
down in a Cayce parking lot. His
obituary said, "Jones is mourned
by none since the recession has
created a tight job market in
journalism and his death means a
job for some lucky student."
But I wish the Bird would
return. USC needs that sort of
thing.
, ?
Viewpoint Editor
Amy DelPo
Spoilt Editor
Gregg Lasky
Assistant Sports Editor
Jeff Owens
Photography Editor
Joseph Garnett
nawBtam rnoiograpay Mllor
Ray Gronberg
Adviser
Bill Rogers
Director
Bill Clements
Production
Lewis Covington tH?
Mark Armstrong